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AHA 1 Hawikuh Jar
Item 01: Hawikuh Jar Type: Hawikuh Polychrome Variant Period: Pueblo V ca. AD 1630-1680 Culture: Early Zuni Material: Ceramic Dimensions: 15” Wide by 10 ½” High Physical Description: A large Polychrome ceramic jar with a pronounced, bulged shoulder. The bottom portion and rim are slipped red. The neck and shoulder of the jar has a much thinner rag slip that exhibit’s a salmon hue. The design appears to be a glaze/sub glaze admixture of Galena (Lead ore) and Azurite (copper ore). There is some red infill to portions of the design and sub glaze stippling to one feather motif. The image consists of three stylized Kachinas with bird and feather motifs. Condition: Stable and Intact, one stable pressure crack to the rim. There is a small piece to the rim missing and a few relatively minor chips to the vessel. Some minor usage wear to the bottom. Overview: Good condition. Determination of Authenticity: Based on my experience and knowledge to date, a comprehensive analysis has revealed characteristics consistent with comparative jars that are known to be from the early Pueblo V period. Contextual Information: The previously described vessel “AHA 1 Hawikuh Jar” was found at a ranch in New Mexico on the North ½ of Section 10, T8N, R11W. Elevation: 7500 ft above sea level. This description was given to me by the land owner. The person that found the previously described jar gave verbal affirmation that this said property description was accurate and was in fact co-ordinance to their private deeded ranch. Furthermore he affirmed that the vessel was found in accordance to All State, Federal and Indian Laws. This vessel was found on March 1st 2010 at or around 11:00 am while out looking for their horses. They noticed a trail within a Malpais rock outcropping that led to a small cave entrance that was approximately 3 feet high by five feet deep. After crawling into the south facing cave he noticed the jar upside down with three rocks around the perimeter and one cylindrical Diorite artifact sticking upright out of the floor which was located to the left of the jar.
Contextual Diorite Artifact 20” Long by 1 ¾” Diameter
Comparative Information: The Ruins of Hawikuh are located approximately 50 miles south of the ranch and were thought to be one of the fabled gold cities of Cibola and served as a headquarters for Coronado for several months after it was conquered in 1540. Hawikuh was abandoned after the Pueblo Revolt of 1680.Hawikuh Polychrome was a short lived tradition that only lasted from approximately AD 1630-1680. The tradition started well after the Kachina cult began in the southwest around AD 1300. This jar exhibits three stylized Kachinas that encircle the shoulder of the jar. The iconography correlates to images seen on Pottery from the earlier Sikyatki period at Hopi.
Cave entrance
Malpais Rock Outcropping and Cave Entrance
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AHA 2 Mimbres Geometric
Item: AHA 2 Mimbres Geometric Bowl Type: Mimbres Classic Black-On-White Bowl Period: A.D. 1000-1150 Culture: Mogollon Material: Ceramic Dimensions: 11 1/4” Wide by 5” High Physical Description: This bowl is nicely potted and has a very well drafted design. The design is laid out using mirror imagery. Incredibly, each design element within the image can be seen replicated directly across the bowl, one half in red the other half in black (see two of the close up photos). The third close up photo shows the transition point between red and black. This type of drafting, precision artistry and controlled firing could have only been accomplished by a master artist. Condition: One third of the bowl is intact with the other two thirds broken and glued. There are a few minor chips restored that I estimate to represent around 3%. The bowl has been tightly glued in a most professional manor. Determination of Authenticity: Based on my experience and knowledge to date, a comprehensive analysis has revealed characteristics consistent with comparative bowls that are known to be from the Mimbres region manufactured between A.D. 1000-1150. Contextual Information: The previously described bowl was acquired from a collection in Grant County New Mexico. The site was referred to as the Baca Ruin located on private land and was excavated by the land owner himself.
 
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AHA 3 Witch Wells Cache
Item: AHA 3 Type: Reserve/Tularosa Cache Period: A.D. 1000-1275 Culture: Mogollon Material: Stone, Pottery Dimensions: The large anthropomorphic figure seen on the bottom left corner of the above photo is: 4 5/8" Tall by 2 1/4" Wide by 3/8" Thick. The circular pottery disc seen in the center of this photo is: 2 7/8" in Diameter. All other items are to scale. Physical Description: A contextual Cache of artifacts consisting of the following: A.) Six painted stone, anthropomorphic figures. B.) One painted stone zoomorphic figure. C.) One pottery disc that has been prehistorically re worked from a Wingate Polychrome bowl sherd. The disc has been secondarily painted with fugitive pigment. D.) One partial ceramic item fashioned by combining twisted coils of clay. The shape may suggest an uncommon ladle handle form. E.) Eight crystals, some have evidence of wear. F.) Seven Hematite concretions, two show signs of wear. G.) One pottery disc with a central drill hole. H.) Two polishing stones. I.) One narrow piece of petrified wood. J.) Two coiled appliqué corrugated sherds. K.) Three Pahos, one broken. L.) One hematite cylinder. Condition: Stable, some items broken and glued. No restoration to date other than gluing. Determination of Authenticity: Based on my experience and knowledge to date, a comprehensive analysis has revealed characteristics consistent with comparative material that is known to be from the Cibola region manufactured between A.D. 1000-1275. Contextual Information: This Cache was found approximately 20 miles north of the town of Saint Johns in Apache County Arizona on the Platt Ranch. The location where these items were found lies east of the Petrified Forrest and west of Highway 191. The archaeological site was estimated to have a twenty five room horseshoe shaped pueblo. Each room in this pueblo held a Tularosa olla. The stone figures and associated items were found lined up against a wall. These items were excavated around 1975 under contract with the land owner, Earl Platt. A natural source for the Hematite ball concretions can be found to the North East of this site along the East side of Hardscrabble Wash. A yellow ochre and sandstone source can be found along this drainage as well. Comparative Information: The anthropomorphic figurines in this cache would appear to have a relatively regional significance. Three others were found at a larger site just to the east. These three were located in a large rectangular room measuring approximately 8 feet by twelve feet. These three figures were deliberately placed on an unusually thick layer of pottery sherds. Some of the sherds ranged from quarter vessels to small sherds. The contextual pottery types were Tularosa Black-on-White, Saint Johns Polychrome and Culinary sherds. Another Cache was found 20 miles to the North near Sanders Arizona. This group of seven are now located in the Brooklyn Museum. Another similar cache was found at the Phallic Mound Pueblo located near Chambers Arizona. This site lies just over twenty miles to the North. Two other painted stone figures were found just to the North East along Hardscrabble wash at a place the Zuni call Pitkiaiakwi or Watercress Pace, a Tularosa site. One sandstone figurine was found approximately 10 miles to the east at a small Reserve site.
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AHA 4 Mimbres Geometric
Item: AHA 4 Mimbres Geometric Bowl Type: Mimbres Classic Black-On-White Period: A.D. 1000-1150 Culture: Mogollon, Mimbres Branch Material: Ceramic Dimensions: 11 1/8” Wide by 5 1/4” High Physical Description: A large hemispheric black-on-white bowl with an overall design. The design is masterly drafted and painted in a striking contrast. This bowl was fired in a consistent reduction atmosphere to accomplish a deep even black over a bright white slip. Condition: An intact bowl with minor pressure cracks stabilized with glue. One pressure crack starts at the rim and terminates at a center "kill hole" in the center. The kill hole is approximately 1 5/8" by 1 1/4". The bowl is relatively intact and very stable. The "before restoration" photo shows some minimal slip exfoliation. A percentage of this exfoliation has been expertly repaired.
Determination of Authenticity: Based on my experience and knowledge to date, a comprehensive analysis has revealed characteristics consistent with comparative bowls that are known to be from the Mimbres region manufactured between A.D. 1000-1150.
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