There is sometimes speculation as to the origin of a particular piece of pottery. Sometimes, an item will display characteristics of two or more pueblos, making it difficult for the average person to assign a pueblo of origin. This dough bowl is a case in point. This bowl exhibits what I consider to be traits of late-period Tesuque ceramics. The paste appears to exhibit traits of Tewa material, tan in color and fibrous in texture, with some crystalline sand grains as usual in Tesuque pottery.

The exterior, except for a band near the rim, is unslipped and undecorated natural stone polished clay exhibiting the bumpy polish that is a distinguishing trait at Tesuque. The area near the rim of the exterior has had applied a rag-wiped and stone-polished band of red clay, much like what was done at Isleta Pueblo in the late 19^th century.

The interior of the bowl has been slipped in its entirety in red. A smooth stone polished surface resulted. Over the red slip has been applied a four-point design element appearing to represent clouds. The design is very much like one would expect to see at Kewa Pueblo. A continuous band of black clouds encircles the interior rim except at a point of ceremonial break. The rim is black and features a ceremonial break.

Conclusion: Paste (clay and temper) appears to be Tesuque and design appears to be Kewa. The rule of thumb is that paste determines origin.

The bowl has been broken and restored professionally. Upon close examination, the cracks can be distinguished, but the overall appearance does not blatantly show the previous damage.

Provenance: This Large Black-on-red Dough Bowl was shown in the exhibit BOWLS: A Pueblo Necessity December 15, 2006 until December 31, 2006 presented at adobe gallery Santa fe.