Mimbres Pottery Images Digital Database with Search

The Mimbres Pottery Images Digital Database (MimPIDD) is a collection of over 10,000 images of Mimbres ceramic vessels, among the most spectacular and renowned prehistoric pottery in North America. The Mimbres archaeological culture, concentrated in southwest New Mexico, is particularly noted for its stunning black-on-white style bowls, which were often decorated with naturalistic designs (especially ca. A.D. 1000-1130). MimPIDD digital images illustrate the painted designs on each vessel, along with associated descriptive information about archaeological context, temporal style, and vessel form and size. Numerous collections of Mimbres pottery vessels exist, scattered across many countries and dozens of museum and private collections. The dispersed nature of these collections makes it difficult to undertake comprehensive studies of Mimbres ceramics. The MimPIDD image collection and database brings together visual and descriptive information from many of these collections, allowing easy access to a wealth of disparate data. Created by Harvard Peabody Museum Curator Steven LeBlanc and Arizona State University Professor Michelle Hegmon, MimPIDD contains images and data from more than 75 collections and more than 140 archaeological sites.

All users are welcome to access the Public version of MimPIDD, which contains images of and data on about 2000 vessels. For permission to access the full Research Database, please see the "Instructions for Accessing MimPIDD" link to the right.

The MimPIDD search function is now operational! Just go to the search box below to begin - make sure you are signed in to access the full database. It is quite self-explanatory, but a users' guide can be found here https://core.tdar.org/document/455490/mimpidd-users-guide, and additional refinements are on the way.

We'd like to hear from you: If you use this search and find it useful, or have suggestions for improvements, please let us know. If you present or publish material using MimPIDD, please share it with us.

PLEASE NOTE: You may not publish any images in MimPIDD without permission from the institution that owns the vessel. MimPIDD cannot grant permission to publish. You must contact the relevant institution to request permission, which may or may not be granted depending on the context of the vessel and that institution's policy. Images in private collections may not be published.

The creation of MimPIDD was made possible by generous support from the Turner Foundation; its continual refinement is supported by the Mimbres Foundation. The search function was made possible with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Some widely available references on Mimbres archaeology and pottery include: Brody, J.J. (2002) Mimbres Painted Pottery (2nd edition) School of American Research Press, Santa Fe; Hegmon, Michelle (2002) Recent Issues in the Archaeology of the Mimbres Region of the North American Southwest. Journal of Archaeological Research, 10:307-357; and Nelson, Margaret and Michelle Hegmon, editors (2010) Mimbres: Lives and Landscapes. School of Advanced Research Press, Santa Fe.

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Other Keywords
LootingEthicsMimPIDD

Culture Keywords
MogollonMimbres

Investigation Types
Collections ResearchRecords Search / Inventory Checking

Material Types
Ceramic

Geographic Keywords
MimbresMimbres River Valley


Resources Inside This Collection (Viewing 1-15 of 15)

There are 15 Documents within this Collection [remove this filter]


  • Ethics and Permission to Access MimPIDD (2022)
    DOCUMENT Full-Text Michelle Hegmon.

    This document describes the steps needed to request access to the professional researcher version of the MimPIDD database. It discusses the problems associated with the antiquities trade, looted archaeological sites, and the ethical use of MimPIDD information.

  • MimPIDD Lesson - Searching tDAR Instructions (2020)
    DOCUMENT Full-Text April Kamp-Whittaker. Michelle Hegmon.

    Short instructions on how to search the MimPIDD collection using tDAR. This is designed to pair with other educational lessons developed as part of the National Endowment for the Humanities two-year grant (2018-2019) entitled “From Library to Laboratory: Developing Tools to Enhance the Use of Digital Archaeological and Other Humanities Collections.”

  • MimPIDD Lesson College - Attribute Coding Activity - Coding Table (2020)
    DOCUMENT Full-Text April Kamp-Whittaker. Michelle Hegmon.

    Student attribute coding table for use with the student workbook for the college and university level attribute analysis and coding lesson. This is designed to pair with other educational lessons developed as part of the National Endowment for the Humanities two-year grant (2018-2019) entitled “From Library to Laboratory: Developing Tools to Enhance the Use of Digital Archaeological and Other Humanities Collections.”

  • MimPIDD Lesson College - Attribute Coding Activity Instructions (2020)
    DOCUMENT Full-Text April Kamp-Whittaker. Michelle Hegmon.

    Instructor overview for the college and university level attribute analysis and coding lesson. This document outlines the lesson and walks instructors through the steps, learning objectives, and materials needed. This is designed to pair with other educational lessons developed as part of the National Endowment for the Humanities two-year grant (2018-2019) entitled “From Library to Laboratory: Developing Tools to Enhance the Use of Digital Archaeological and Other Humanities Collections.”

  • MimPIDD Lesson College - Attribute Coding Activity Student Workbook (2020)
    DOCUMENT Full-Text April Kamp-Whittaker. Michelle Hegmon.

    Student instructions and workbook for the college and university level attribute analysis and coding lesson. This document outlines the lesson and walks students through the steps,question prompts, and analysis needed to complete the lesson. This is designed to pair with other educational lessons developed as part of the National Endowment for the Humanities two-year grant (2018-2019) entitled “From Library to Laboratory: Developing Tools to Enhance the Use of Digital Archaeological and Other...

  • MimPIDD Lesson Grades 4-12 - Mimbres Region Overview Reading (2020)
    DOCUMENT Full-Text April Kamp-Whittaker. Michelle Hegmon.

    Supplemental reading for the grades 4-12 lesson. This document provides a broad history of the Mimbres region and archaeology needed to understand the lesson. This is designed to pair with other educational lessons developed as part of the National Endowment for the Humanities two-year grant (2018-2019) entitled “From Library to Laboratory: Developing Tools to Enhance the Use of Digital Archaeological and Other Humanities Collections.”

  • MimPIDD Lesson Grades 4-12 - Student Workbook Eby (2020)
    DOCUMENT Full-Text April Kamp-Whittaker. Michelle Hegmon.

    Student workbook for grades 4-12 lesson. This document outlines the lesson and walks students through the steps of a simple attribute analysis and coding of prehistoric pots. There are three workbooks each containing data from one site. All three are designed to be used in tandem for this lesson. This is designed to pair with other educational lessons developed as part of the National Endowment for the Humanities two-year grant (2018-2019) entitled “From Library to Laboratory: Developing Tools...

  • MimPIDD Lesson Grades 4-12 - Student Workbook Mattocks (2020)
    DOCUMENT Full-Text April Kamp-Whittaker. Michelle Hegmon.

    Student workbook for grades 4-12 lesson. This document outlines the lesson and walks students through the steps of a simple attribute analysis and coding of prehistoric pots. There are three workbooks each containing data from one site. All three are designed to be used in tandem for this lesson. This is designed to pair with other educational lessons developed as part of the National Endowment for the Humanities two-year grant (2018-2019) entitled “From Library to Laboratory: Developing Tools...

  • MimPIDD Lesson Grades 4-12 - Student Workbook McSherry (2020)
    DOCUMENT Full-Text April Kamp-Whittaker. Michelle Hegmon.

    Student workbook for grades 4-12 lesson. This document outlines the lesson and walks students through the steps of a simple attribute analysis and coding of prehistoric pots. There are three workbooks each containing data from one site. All three are designed to be used in tandem for this lesson. This is designed to pair with other educational lessons developed as part of the National Endowment for the Humanities two-year grant (2018-2019) entitled “From Library to Laboratory: Developing Tools...

  • MimPIDD Lesson Grades 4-12 - Teacher Instructions (2020)
    DOCUMENT Full-Text April Kamp-Whittaker. Michelle Hegmon.

    Teacher instructions and overview for the grades 4-12 lesson. This document outlines the lesson and walks teachers through the steps, learning objectives, and materials needed. This is designed to pair with other educational lessons developed as part of the National Endowment for the Humanities two-year grant (2018-2019) entitled “From Library to Laboratory: Developing Tools to Enhance the Use of Digital Archaeological and Other Humanities Collections.”

  • MimPIDD Lesson K-3 - Mimbres Pot 1 (2020)
    DOCUMENT Full-Text April Kamp-Whittaker. Michelle Hegmon.

    Artistic worksheet for the K-3 lesson.This document is the outline of a pot from the Mimbres region that student can use to create their own design. This is designed to pair with other educational lessons developed as part of the National Endowment for the Humanities two-year grant (2018-2019) entitled “From Library to Laboratory: Developing Tools to Enhance the Use of Digital Archaeological and Other Humanities Collections.”

  • MimPIDD Lesson K-3 - Mimbres Pot 2 (2020)
    DOCUMENT Full-Text April Kamp-Whittaker. Michelle Hegmon.

    Artistic worksheet for the K-3 lesson.This document is the outline of a pot from the Mimbres region that student can use to create their own design. This is designed to pair with other educational lessons developed as part of the National Endowment for the Humanities two-year grant (2018-2019) entitled “From Library to Laboratory: Developing Tools to Enhance the Use of Digital Archaeological and Other Humanities Collections.”

  • MimPIDD Lesson K-3 - Student Worksheet (2020)
    DOCUMENT Full-Text April Kamp-Whittaker. Michelle Hegmon.

    Student worksheet and instructions for the K-3 lesson. This worksheet is the main document students need to complete the lesson. It included images for analysis and prompt questions. This is designed to pair with other educational lessons developed as part of the National Endowment for the Humanities two-year grant (2018-2019) entitled “From Library to Laboratory: Developing Tools to Enhance the Use of Digital Archaeological and Other Humanities Collections.”

  • MimPIDD Lesson K-3 - Teacher Instructions (2020)
    DOCUMENT Full-Text April Kamp-Whittaker.

    Teacher instructions and overview for the K-3 lesson. This document outlines the lesson and walks teachers through the steps, learning objectives, and materials needed. This is designed to pair with other educational lessons developed as part of the National Endowment for the Humanities two-year grant (2018-2019) entitled “From Library to Laboratory: Developing Tools to Enhance the Use of Digital Archaeological and Other Humanities Collections.”

  • MIMPIDD Users' Guide (2020)
    DOCUMENT Full-Text Michelle Hegmon.

    The Mimbres Pottery Images Digital Database (MimPIDD) is a collection of images and data on more than 10,000 Mimbres pottery vessels. MimPIDD digital images illustrate the painted designs on each vessel, along with associated descriptive information about archaeological context, temporal style, and vessel form and size. This document provides additional background to MIMPIDD, describes how data are coded in the database, and guides the effective and ethical use of MIMPIDD. The information...