Edited volumes by Kari Schleher
San Marcos, one of the largest late prehistoric Pueblo settlements along the Rio Grande, was a si... more San Marcos, one of the largest late prehistoric Pueblo settlements along the Rio Grande, was a significant social, political, and economic hub both before Spanish colonization and through the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. This volume provides the definitive record of a decade of archaeological investigations at San Marcos, ancestral home to Kewa (formerly Santo Domingo) and Cochiti descendants. The contributors address archaeological and historical background, artifact analysis, and population history. They explore possible changes in Pueblo social organization, examine population changes during the occupation, and delineate aspects of Pueblo/Spanish interaction that occur with Spaniards' intrusion into the colony and especially the Galisteo Basin. Highlights include historical context, in-depth consideration of archaeological field and laboratory methods, compositional and stylistic analyses of the famed glaze-paint ceramics, analysis of flaked stone that includes obsidian hydration dating, and discussion of the beginnings of colonial metallurgy and protohistoric Pueblo population change.
Articles and book chapters by Kari Schleher
Journal of Archaeological Science, 2019
The earliest glazes in the American Southwest were produced during the early Pueblo I period (ca.... more The earliest glazes in the American Southwest were produced during the early Pueblo I period (ca. 750–850 CE) in the Upper San Juan region of Colorado. Petrographic and isotopic techniques were used to study these early glaze-painted pots and to address questions of production locales and procurement strategies. The results of this study identify the preferred source of lead utilized by the potters as originating in the Galena District, in the Lake City and Uncompahgre calderas, in the western San Juan Mountains of Colorado. Glaze paints from three locations in the Mesa Verde region were produced with galena from these deposits, indicating that even when potters were choosing to use different clays and temper, the source of lead remained the same. Galena ores from these deposits have additionally been identified at other locations, including Dillard, a Basketmaker III site in southwest Colorado and in Pueblo II contexts in Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, indicating continuity in knowledge of distant lead sources.
This provenance study of yellow-firing clays in north central New Mexico examines whether clays r... more This provenance study of yellow-firing clays in north central New Mexico examines whether clays recovered in the vicinity of Tunque Pueblo (LA 240) may have been used as slip clays at contemporaneous San Marcos Pueblo (LA 98). A sample of 72 ceramic sherds, bricks, and clays were analyzed through chemical characterization using laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). We argue that Tunque potters were using a subset of clays available at their village to produce pottery. Although San Marcos potters appear to have possibly been using clay from Tunque Pueblo to slip their vessels, these clays were not the same as those used by Tunque potters. Given San Marcos potters' apparent reliance on this slip clay over time, we argue our findings demonstrate that extremely stable social networks were developed and sustained among Rio Grande Pueblo households and communities across north central New Mexico during the late prehispanic and early colonial periods (1400–1680 CE).
We address aspects of the Neolithic Revolution in the Mesa Verde region of Southwest Colorado. We... more We address aspects of the Neolithic Revolution in the Mesa Verde region of Southwest Colorado. We first propose a new method of dating habitations within the Basketmaker III period (AD 600-725) using vessel forms in pottery assemblages. Then we adapt this method to new survey and excavation data to investigate demographic processes behind the formation of Mesa Verde Pueblo society. Finally, we quantify extramural storage space across Basketmaker III households to investigate the development of private property during this period. Our results indicate that both in-migration and intrinsic growth were involved in the formation of Mesa Verde Pueblo society; that agricultural households became increasingly dispersed over time; and that household agricultural outputs took the form of a log-normal distribution typical of societies with private property rights. Collectively, these findings suggest private property rights co-evolved with agriculture and settled communities, as researchers have suggested for other world areas.
The research presented here focuses on Santa Fe Black-on-white pottery produced during the Late
... more The research presented here focuses on Santa Fe Black-on-white pottery produced during the Late
Coalition/Early Classic Transition (AD 1250e1350) in the northern Rio Grande region, New Mexico. We
combine design data with compositional analyses to gain a greater understanding of ceramic production
and circulation in this region and to evaluate the communities of practice and communities of identity
reflected in pottery.We combine mineralogical and INAA chemical compositional datasets to argue for at
least three production provenances; we further argue that nine potential petrofacies represent different
resource procurement zones within the production provenances. We argue that these data, combined,
represent a minimum of three different communities of practice. Despite multiple communities of
practice, similar designs were being used as decoration that reflects a single community of identity. We
argue that during this transitional time period examined here, producers of Santa Fe Black-on-white
were intentionally practicing a form of identity maintenance across all of the villages in which it was
produced.
Potters and Communities of Practice: Glaze Paint and Polychrome Pottery in the American Southwest, AD 1250 to 1700, 2012
Potters and Communities of Practice: Glaze Paint and Polychrome Pottery in the American Southwest, AD 1250 to 1700, 2012
Potters and Communities of Practice: Glaze Paint and Polychrome Pottery in the American Southwest, AD 1250 to 1700, 2012
Reports and other publications by Kari Schleher
Pueblo at the Cold Water Place, P'O'Karige: Archaeological Investigation of The Agua Fria School House Site, 2012
Conference Presentations by Kari Schleher
Changes in Ancestral Pueblo ceramics and rock art after A.D. 1325 are often thought to reflect ne... more Changes in Ancestral Pueblo ceramics and rock art after A.D. 1325 are often thought to reflect new religious practices in the Northern Rio Grande. Our analysis suggests that designs on these two types of media differ considerably. Bounded geometric designs, which are typical on ceramics, are quite rare in rock art. Although there is overlap in the iconography of the two media, mode of representation differs greatly. This suggests that two different groups were likely involved in producing the designs. We argue that design differences may have wide reaching implications for social networks and practices of production in this region.
Within the north-central Rio Grande, major changes in pottery occur in the early A.D. 1300s, with... more Within the north-central Rio Grande, major changes in pottery occur in the early A.D. 1300s, with one of the most notable changes reflected in the replacement of black-on-white types with more colorful bichrome and polychrome glaze ware. Potters have more color options, with hues of red, yellow, and tan, available to create designs. Using a sample of vessels and sherds from over a dozen sites in the Galisteo Basin and beyond, I evaluate the colors used to create geometric and icongraphic motifs, variation of color use across the region, and implications for production practices as they relate to color choices.
Material culture can inform on social integration and disintegration of communities. By comparing... more Material culture can inform on social integration and disintegration of communities. By comparing material culture from public and private spaces, we can better understand social relationships, including community integration and changes in integration through time. In this paper, we explore differences and similarities in material culture associated with public and private architecture at the Goodman Point Community in the Central Mesa Verde region of southwestern Colorado to better understand the integrative functions of public architecture. By exploring the distribution of artifacts across the Goodman Point Community, we evaluate the connections between material culture and architecture. Are particular types of artifacts associated with public spaces more than private spaces? Do these patterns reflect the integrative functions of public spaces? We present data on pottery vessel forms and designs to evaluate both contemporaneous and diachronic use of public and private space within the Goodman Point Community.
In this paper, we explore temporal and spatial patterns present in the material culture of the Go... more In this paper, we explore temporal and spatial patterns present in the material culture of the Goodman Point Community. The Goodman Point area of southwestern Colorado was home to ancestral Pueblo peoples from the A.D. 600s until depopulation of the broader region around A.D. 1280. Recent laboratory analyses by the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center have produced a large data set for the later Goodman Point Community, including data on over 150,000 sherds and 50,000 lithic artifacts primarily dating from the A.D. 1000s through A.D. 1280. In this paper, we discuss this robust assemblage focusing on types of artifacts, including pottery, pottery tempering materials, stone tools, and exotic materials. We then evaluate both contemporaneous and diachronic artifact patterns to assess social connections within the community and to other peoples further afield. These patterns are compared to other material signatures recorded for contemporary communities in the region, including the Sand Canyon Community.
In 2016, the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center (Crow Canyon) began a new multiyear project—the No... more In 2016, the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center (Crow Canyon) began a new multiyear project—the Northern Chaco Outliers Project (NCOP)—which focuses on the Haynie site, a Chaco outlier in the central Mesa Verde region of southwestern Colorado (Ryan 2016).
During the first field season, our goal was to assess specific characteristics of the Haynie site through surface archaeology, which included analysis of pottery and chipped-stone artifacts from systematic “dog-leash” collection units across the 5-acre site as well as from specific contexts disturbed by previous, nonsystematic investigations. We used pottery data to assess site-wide temporal and spatial patterning, and we also examined the proportions of local vs. nonlocal lithic raw materials as well as origin locations for nonlocal lithic materials.
Although the visible architecture is characteristic of the Pueblo II period (A.D. 900 ̶ 1150), our surface-based pottery analysis indicates much greater time depth; the pottery types present suggest continuous occupation of the site from the Basketmaker III (A.D. 500 ̶ 750) through the Pueblo III (A.D. 1150 ̶ 1300) periods.
The study of brown ware pottery can help understand broader trends in the Basketmaker III period ... more The study of brown ware pottery can help understand broader trends in the Basketmaker III period in the central Mesa Verde region. • Brown ware pottery represents an experimental and transitional period in ceramic production prior to the long-term gray ware pottery tradition that begins during the Basketmaker III period. • Even with the small sample size of brown ware sherds considered here, we identified great variation in the types and materials used to make brown ware pottery. • The presence of Obelisk Utility at the Dillard site suggests trade with areas to the south in the early Basketmaker III period. • Brown ware is more common in association with earlier structures at the Dillard site. Abstract Brown ware, pottery made with alluvial clays, is rare in the central Mesa Verde region. This type may represent the earliest pottery in the area. We explore this supposition with brown ware pottery recovered from the Dillard site, a Basketmaker III period (A.D. 500-750) site in the Indian Camp Ranch Historic District, recently excavated by the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center. Four field seasons at the Dillard site (5MT10647) have produced just over 20,000 sherds, however only 160 sherds have been classified as brown ware. In this poster, we explore brown ware distribution across the site, their association with well-dated structures and middens, and variation in materials used in brown ware manufacture. We believe that these sherds illuminate broader research questions related to Basketmaker settlement patterns throughout the northern southwest.
General Pottery Type 45, 8.0% 295, 52.5% 137, 24.4% 66, 11.7% 9, 1.6% 10, 1.8% bowl jar, not furt... more General Pottery Type 45, 8.0% 295, 52.5% 137, 24.4% 66, 11.7% 9, 1.6% 10, 1.8% bowl jar, not further specified seed jar unknown form Vessel Form 6, 3.1% 58, 30.4% 45, 23.6% 82, 42.9%
The study of brown ware pottery can help understand broader trends in the Basketmaker III period ... more The study of brown ware pottery can help understand broader trends in the Basketmaker III period in the central Mesa Verde region. • Brown ware pottery represents an experimental and transitional period in ceramic production prior to the long-term gray ware pottery tradition that begins during the Basketmaker III period. • Even with the small sample size of brown ware sherds considered here, we identified great variation in the types and materials used to make brown ware pottery. • The presence of Obelisk Utility at the Dillard site suggests trade with areas to the south in the early Basketmaker III period. • Brown ware is more common in association with earlier structures at the Dillard site.
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Edited volumes by Kari Schleher
Articles and book chapters by Kari Schleher
Coalition/Early Classic Transition (AD 1250e1350) in the northern Rio Grande region, New Mexico. We
combine design data with compositional analyses to gain a greater understanding of ceramic production
and circulation in this region and to evaluate the communities of practice and communities of identity
reflected in pottery.We combine mineralogical and INAA chemical compositional datasets to argue for at
least three production provenances; we further argue that nine potential petrofacies represent different
resource procurement zones within the production provenances. We argue that these data, combined,
represent a minimum of three different communities of practice. Despite multiple communities of
practice, similar designs were being used as decoration that reflects a single community of identity. We
argue that during this transitional time period examined here, producers of Santa Fe Black-on-white
were intentionally practicing a form of identity maintenance across all of the villages in which it was
produced.
Reports and other publications by Kari Schleher
Conference Presentations by Kari Schleher
During the first field season, our goal was to assess specific characteristics of the Haynie site through surface archaeology, which included analysis of pottery and chipped-stone artifacts from systematic “dog-leash” collection units across the 5-acre site as well as from specific contexts disturbed by previous, nonsystematic investigations. We used pottery data to assess site-wide temporal and spatial patterning, and we also examined the proportions of local vs. nonlocal lithic raw materials as well as origin locations for nonlocal lithic materials.
Although the visible architecture is characteristic of the Pueblo II period (A.D. 900 ̶ 1150), our surface-based pottery analysis indicates much greater time depth; the pottery types present suggest continuous occupation of the site from the Basketmaker III (A.D. 500 ̶ 750) through the Pueblo III (A.D. 1150 ̶ 1300) periods.
Coalition/Early Classic Transition (AD 1250e1350) in the northern Rio Grande region, New Mexico. We
combine design data with compositional analyses to gain a greater understanding of ceramic production
and circulation in this region and to evaluate the communities of practice and communities of identity
reflected in pottery.We combine mineralogical and INAA chemical compositional datasets to argue for at
least three production provenances; we further argue that nine potential petrofacies represent different
resource procurement zones within the production provenances. We argue that these data, combined,
represent a minimum of three different communities of practice. Despite multiple communities of
practice, similar designs were being used as decoration that reflects a single community of identity. We
argue that during this transitional time period examined here, producers of Santa Fe Black-on-white
were intentionally practicing a form of identity maintenance across all of the villages in which it was
produced.
During the first field season, our goal was to assess specific characteristics of the Haynie site through surface archaeology, which included analysis of pottery and chipped-stone artifacts from systematic “dog-leash” collection units across the 5-acre site as well as from specific contexts disturbed by previous, nonsystematic investigations. We used pottery data to assess site-wide temporal and spatial patterning, and we also examined the proportions of local vs. nonlocal lithic raw materials as well as origin locations for nonlocal lithic materials.
Although the visible architecture is characteristic of the Pueblo II period (A.D. 900 ̶ 1150), our surface-based pottery analysis indicates much greater time depth; the pottery types present suggest continuous occupation of the site from the Basketmaker III (A.D. 500 ̶ 750) through the Pueblo III (A.D. 1150 ̶ 1300) periods.