First posted by C. Dean Wilson 2012

Puaray or Glaze E Polychrome was defined by Mera 1933. This type is distinguished from other glaze rim bowl forms by an elongated rim with dramatic thickening in areas just below the rim that are tapered or rounded (Morales 1997; Warren 1979; Warren and Snow 1976). There is usually a sharp contrast in the wall profile between the thick upper portion near the rim and the thinner and more evenly shaped area further down from the rim. The widening of the area just above this break and directly below the rim, often results in an elliptical-shaped profile under which are straight vessel walls. Both surfaces of the bowl are polished, slipped, and painted. Slip, applied on the interior and upper portion of the exterior surfaces, is yellow, cream, white, pink tan, orange or red.

Glaze paint is very thick and shiny, and ranges from a black, dark brown, yellow brown, green, to bluish. Glaze commonly drips, and lines tend to be broad and poorly defined. Glaze may be bubbly and tend to run toward the rim. Geometric designs are common, but are often difficult to characterize for sherds given the large size of the motif and the runny or drippy nature of the glaze paint, painted decorations are similar to those described for San Lazaro Polychrome except the interior designs bands are broader and usually paneled. The glaze paint on Puaray Polychrome is less likely to follow the edges of the red matte-painted figures.

Pottery assigned to Puaray Polychrome appears to have been produced through most of the sixteenth to late seventeenth century and spans the late Classic and very early Colonial period. Variation in crushed igneous rock indicates production over a very a wide area with some evidence of specialization in San Marcos, Tunque, and the Cochiti area (Warren 1979). Puaray Glaze Polychrome vessels were also traded over wide areas of the plains and indicate the establishment of widespread and mutually trade networks established with plains groups during the late Classic period.

References:
Mera, H. P.
1933 A Proposed Revision of the Rio Grande Glaze Paint Sequence. Laboratory of Anthropology Technical Series Bulletin No. 5, Santa Fe.

Morales, Thomas M.
1997 Glazeware Pottery Production and Distributionin the Upper-Middle Rio Grande Valley. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

Warren, A. Helene
1979 The Glaze Wares of the Upper Middle Rio Grande. In Archaeological Investigations in Cochiti Reservoir, New Mexico, Vol. 4: Adaptive Changes in the Northern Rio Grande Valley, edited by J. V. Biella and R. C. Chapman, pp. 187–216. Office of Contract Archaeology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

Warren, A., Helene and David H. Snow
1976 Section C: Formal Descriptions of Rio Grande Glazes from LA 70. In Archaeological Excavations at Pueblo del Encierro, LA 70, Cochiti Dam Salvage Project, Cochiti New Mexico, Final Report: 1964-1965 Field Seasons, edited by D. H. Snow, pp. C1-V34. Laboratory of Anthropology Notes No. 78, Santa Fe.

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Puaray Glaze (E) Polychrome bowl

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Puaray Glaze (E) Polychrome bowl sherds (interior surface)

Puaray Glaze (E) Polychrome bowl sherds (exterior surface)

Puaray Glaze Polychrome bowl sherds

Puaray Polychrome bowl

Puaray Polychrome bowl

Puaray Polychrome bowl

Puaray Polychrome bowl

Puaray Glaze Polychrome bowl interior

Puaray Glaze Polychrome bowl exterior

Puaray Polychrome bowl

Puaray Glaze Polychrome bowl

Puaray Glaze Polychrome bowl