Ceramic: McElmo Black-on-white, mug reshaped into jar, AZRU1-812

Summary

McElmo Black-on-white, mug reshaped into small jar, Accession AZRU-00001 Catalog #812. Morris FS 5128. CULTURALLY SENSITIVE: NAGPRA ARTIFACT; ACCESS RESTRICTED. Analyzed by Lori Reed 2011. Reshaped jar is 100% complete, but original mug form is missing the handle. As shown in images, it appears that the mug handle was broken prior to firing of the vessel. The handle stubs were ground down and the design was painted over the handle stubs. Based on the irregular shape of the mug, simplicity and sloppiness of design, and failure of the original handle attachment, the potter may have been inexperienced. Measurements: 6.5 cm orifice diameter, 13.8 cm height. Sherd and granular igneous temper indicates local production at Aztec. Image AZRU1-812 A: exterior view showing painted design. Image AZRU1-812 B: exterior view showing painted design. Image AZRU1-812 C: exterior view showing design painted over handle stub. Image AZRU1-812 D: exterior view showing handle stub. Image AZRU1-812 E: view of orifice. Recovered from Earl Morris excavation of Room 185, Burial 127, Aztec West Ruin. Earl Morris’ description of Room 185 at the time of excavation is as follows. “…. two feet of a very hard and compact light colored earth on a floor level that showed practically no signs of use. A refuse layer was above this and the first storey roof remains above that. The only doorway was a T-shaped door in the east wall.” (Morris 1928:409) Reference: Earl Morris, 1928, Notes on Excavations in the Aztec Ruin, Volume XXVI, Part V, Anthropological Papers of the American Museum of Natural History, New York. Also see: Earl Morris, 1924, Burials in the Aztec Ruin and the Aztec Ruin Annex, Anthropological Papers of the American Museum of Natural History Vol. XXVI, Parts III and IV, American Museum of Natural History, New York.

Keywords

Temporal Coverage

Calendar Date: 1110 to 1140 (Late Chacoan)

Calendar Date: 1140 to 1280 (Post-Chacoan)

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Gary Brown

Contributor(s): Anne Grulich; Aztec Ruins National Monument, Aztec, NM

Principal Investigator(s): Lori Reed

Repository(s): Aztec Ruins National Monument, Aztec, NM; American Museum of Natural History, New York City, NY

Notes

Rights & Attribution: Artifact was collected from Aztec West Ruin excavations by Earl Morris between 1916 and 1922. Morris' excavations were sponsored and funded by the American Museum of Natural History, New York.

Rights & Attribution: Publication or use of the image is restricted; permission may be obtained through consultation with American Museum of Natural History and Aztec Ruins National Monument.

Rights & Attribution: High resolution images of the item are archived and available to researchers through the National Park Service, Aztec Ruins National Monument.

Rights & Attribution: Artifact is classified as a NAGPRA item; access to the image(s) is restricted. Researchers may consult with the American Museum of Natural History and the National Park Service Aztec Ruins National Monument for permission to view image(s).

Source Collections

Original Items: American Museum of Natural History, New York, and NPS, Aztec Ruins National Monument, Aztec, New Mexico

Image: NPS, Aztec Ruins National Monument, Aztec, New Mexico

Related Comparative Collections

Aztec Ruins Collections housed at American Museum of Natural History, New York

Aztec Ruins Collections housed at Hibben Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

Aztec Ruins Collections housed at Aztec Ruins National Monument, Aztec, New Mexico

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