25-0111 Anasazi Pottery Pitcher, Chaco Black-on-white
A.D. 1075 to 1150
7.75" H x 5.5" D
With some restoration, particularly at the rim, shoulder, and handle joins.
Type Name: Chaco Black-on-white
Period: 1075 A.D. - 1150 A.D. Culture: Ancestral Pueblo: Southern Colorado Plateau (Anasazi) Branch: Central Anasazi Tradition: Chaco and Cibola Ware: Chaco-Cibola White Ware
Chaco Black-on-white was first described by Kidder (1924) and defined by Hawley (1934; 1036). Pottery sometimes assigned to Chaco Black-on-white is extremely similar to Gallup except for thicker framing lines, finer hatchure, and in some cases a more complex symmetry. This style appears to be associated with a fairly narrow time span from about A.D. 1075 to 1150). In spite of the name, Chaco Black-on-white is fairly rare at any site in Chaco Canyon and elsewhere. This rarity in part reflects the narrow definition of type limited to the most elaborately decorated and specialized forms associated with Pueblo II technology in this region. While the usefulness of such a narrowly defined type can be debated, the presence of this type is sometimes characterized as an indicator of Chacoan identity. Thus, Chaco Black-on-white is sometimes accorded enhanced significance as the products of highly skilled specialists who produced vessels mainly for the Chaco elite.