First posted by C. Dean Wilson 2012

Alma Incised or Alma Punched, both of which were defined and described by Haury (1936), are similar to Alma Plain but exhibit incised or punched decorations (Nesbitt 1938; Wilson 1999). Incised lines are deeper and wider than noted in Alma scored, and reflect patterns made using a fine or sharp tool or fingernails. The most common patterns consist of straight, rectilinear, curving, or zigzag lines. These include single lines as well as a series of parallel, intersecting, and crossing lines. These lines are usually sparsely executed and limited to jar necks. Another style of incised designs consists of rows of fingernail-shaped incisions along the rim. Most vessels pottery assigned to these types are derived from cooking/storage jars, although bowls were also noted. Temper and paste is identical to that noted for other early brown ware types. Incised treatment is usually on the exterior surface, which was often polished. Alma incised is extremely rare in all Mogollon assemblages but is most in assemblages associated with the San Francisco phase.

References:
Haury, Emil W.
1936 Some Southwestern Pottery Types. Medallion Papers No. 19, Gila Pueblo, Globe, Arizona.

Nesbitt, Paul H.
1939 Starkweather Ruin: a Mogollon-Pueblo Site in the Upper Gila Area of New Mexico, and Affiliative Aspects of the Mogollon Culture. Logan Museum Publications in Anthropology Bulletin 6. Beloit College, Beloit, Wisconsin.

Wilson, C. Dean
1999 Ceramic Types and Attributes. In Archaeology of the Mogollon Highlands Settlement Systems and Adaptations; Volume 4. Ceramics, Miscellaneous Artifacts, Bioarchaeology. Bone Tools and Faunal Analysis, edited by Y.R Oakes and D.A. Zamora, pp. 5-86. Archaeology Notes 232, Office of Archaeological Studies, Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe.

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Alma Incised jar sherd

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Alma Incised jar sherd

Alma Incised Jar

Alma Incised Jar