First posted by C. Dean Wilson 2012

Newcomb Black-on-white was defined by Wilson and Peckham (1964). This type is assigned to pottery tempered with trachyte that exhibits organic paint with styles similar to those noted on Red Mesa Black-on-white (Windes 1977). Newcomb Black-on-white reflects a distinct blending of organic paint used in the Tusayan area and styles indicative of Cibola white wares produced in the early Pueblo II period. This type is present in assemblages dating to the tenth, and at least the first half if not all of the eleventh century. This seems to be the most abundant of the decorated types found in the Chuska Valley, and was traded over wide areas of the Colorado Plateau

Paste in white wares assigned to Newcomb Black-on-white is blue-gray to gray and covered with thick pearly or thin streaky white slip. Decorations are applied in a thick black to brown paint. Decoration is almost identical to that described for Red Mesa Black-on-white although lines may sometimes be thicker. Designs consist of multiple parallel lines sometime embellished with triangles or ticked lines, ribbons, checkerboard patterns, widely spaced straight hachure, squiggle hachure, scalloped or ticked triangles, and scrolls. Painted designs are often well executed, and different elements often occur together in fairly complex patterns. Decorations include motifs and organizations similar to those described for Red Mesa Black-on-white and Naschitti Black-on-white. Vessel forms are represented by a wide range and relatively even mixture of jar and bowl forms that also includes pitchers, ladles, and effigies.

References:
Wilson, John P., and Stewart Peckham
1964 Chuska Valley Ceramics. Manuscript on file, Laboratory of Anthropology, Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe.Windes, Thomas C.

Windes, Thomas C.
1977 Typology and Technology of Anasazi Ceramics. In Settlement and Subsistence Along the Lower Chaco River, edited by C. Reher, pp 270-369. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

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Newcomb Black-on-white sherds

Newcomb Black-on-white sherds

Newcomb Black-on-white sherds

Newcomb Corrugated

Newcomb Black-on-white sherds

Newcomb Black-on-white sherds

Newcomb Black-on-white sherds

Newcomb Black-on-white sherds

Newcomb Black-on-white pitcher

Newcomb Black-on-white pitcher