First posted by C. Dean Wilson 2014

Taos Gray includes gray ware forms noted by Mera as accompanying Taos Black-on-white and appears to have first been defined by Peckham and Reed (1963). The majority of gray wares from Late Developmental Sites in the Taos Valley were assigned to Taos Gray, although this type may also occur in significant frequencies in sites dating to the early Coalition period. Thus, Taos Gray can occur in assemblages dating from about A.D. 900 to 1350.

Gray ware sherds exhibiting the local and granitic temper utilized in the Taos Valley area are assigned to various Taos gray ware types were defined based on surface texture (Levine 1994; Peckham and Reed 1963; Wetherington 1968). Taos Gray is distinguished from other early gray ware types produced in the Taos Valley by the presence of smoothed unpolished surfaces (Levine 1994; Mera 1935; Peckham and Reed 1963; Wetherington 1968). Smoothed plain gray sherds could have either have derived from any portion of completely smoothed Taos Plain Gray vessels, or could have derived from the lower portion of vessels with incised, neckbanded, or corrugated necks. Therefore, different type categories were assigned to smoothed gray ware rim and body sherds. Smoothed body sherds that could have originated from plain vessels or smoothed portions of neckbanded, incised, or corrugated vessels were classified as Plain Body.

References:
Levine, Daisy F.
1994 Ceramic Analysis. In Studying the Taos Frontier:The Pot Creek Data Recovery Project, Vol. 2: Discussion and Interpretation, edited by J. L. Bowyer, pp. 339–366. Archaeology Notes, 68. Office of Archaeological Studies, Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe.

Mera, H. P.
1935 Ceramic Clues to the Prehistory of North Central New Mexico. Laboratory of Anthropology Technical Series Bulletin No. 8. Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Peckham, Stewart, and Erik K. Reed
1963 Three Sites near Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico. In Highway Salvage Archaeology, Vol. 4, assembled by S. Peckham, pp. 1–28. New Mexico State Highway Department and Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe.

Wetherington, Ronald K.
1968 Excavations at Pot Creek Pueblo. Fort Burgwin Research Center Report No. 6, Taos.

Related Photos

Taos Gray jar

Taos Gray jar with handle

Taos Gray olla

Taos Gray jar with handle