Ceramic Pigment Distributions and Regional Interaction: A Re-Examination of Interpretations in Shepard's “Technology of La Plata Pottery”

Abstract

Anna O. Shepard's “Technology of La Plata Pottery” still influences our view of prehistoric pottery technology and interaction between Anasazi groups. Her pigment-based characterizations of culture change and interaction for both the Basketmaker III to Pueblo I periods and the Pueblo II to Pueblo III periods are examined using ceramic data accumulated during the recent La Plata Highway Project. While these data verify the basic trends in whiteware pigment use documented by Shepard, a closer examination of various distributions indicates patterns different from those she postulated regarding the nature of interaction, intrusion, and influence between groups in the La Plata District and other regions.