Clay Reconnaissance and Suitability Testing within Petrified Forest National Park

Summary

The likelihood of endemic clays both suitable and used for local ceramic production within the Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona is disputed. Researchers imply clays within the park are unsuitable for ceramic production. Ethno-archaeological studies, though, document that most traditional potting communities procure clay for ceramic production within a three to five kilometer radius of their residence (Arnold 1985). In this case, past individuals residing within the current park boundaries must have located and obtained clay from a reliable source, as large amounts of utility ware is present within the park. I will ascertain the utility of naturally forming clays within the Petrified Forest National Park through the collection and firing of naturally forming geologic and alluvial clays. This study examines clay sources within three to five kilometers of five archaeological sites: AZ K: 13:114, Puerco Pueblo (AZ Q:01:022), Pottery Mound (AZ Q:01:281), Sivu’ovi (AZ Q:01:114), and Twin Buttes (AZ Q:01:2), serving as a base study for sourcing ceramics within Petrified Forest National Park and contributing to specific questions regarding ceramic production. Determining the source of ceramic production within Petrified Forest National Park can shed light on trade patterns as well as cultural preferences for material and design.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Recent Archaeological Research in Petrified Forest National Park   •
• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage