Measuring Prehistoric Ceramic Craft Specialization: a Test Case in the American Southwest

Abstract

Standardization and efficiency in pottery decoration are used to measure ceramic specialization in two ceramic wares from the Upper Rio Grande Valley of the American Southwest, Santa Fe/Wiyo Black-on-white from the Coalition period (1200–1325 A.C.) and Bandelier Black-on-gray (Biscuit B) from the Classic period (1325–1600 A.C.). Vessels produced by specialists should exhibit standardized and efficient methods of pottery decoration. Standardization in vessel decoration is assessed by gesture use and variability of design elements, and efficiency in vessel decoration is assessed by the number of gestures and brushstrokes. These measures demonstrate that the decoration of Biscuit B is more standardized and more efficiently executed, and they suggest increased craft specialization in the Classic period in the Upper Rio Grande Valley.