Ceramic Field Identification Manual Agua Fria National Monument Project

Jeddito Yellow Ware - Information

BACKGROUND | CHRONOLOGY | DEVELOPMENTAL SEQUENCE

NAMED BY: Lyndon Hargrave (1931:118)

DESCRIBED BY: Fewkes (1898:652); Colton and Hargrave (1937:147); Colton (1956:Ware 7B); Smith (1971); Hays (1991:24-28, 45-47); Lyons and Hays (2001:151-153)

SYNONYMS: Yellow Ware (Fewkes 1898:652), Hopi Yellow Ware (Hough 1903), Buff Ware (Spier 1917:255)

EXAMPES: Awatovi Black-on-yellow, Bidahochi Polychrome, Jeddito Black-on-yellow, Sikyatki Polychrome

Jeddito Yellow Ware - Background

Jeddito Yellow Ware was produced in the Hopi region during the Pueblo IV period, from approximately A.D. 1300 to the historic era, and was widely traded from the Verde Valley to the Rio Grande Valley (Adams 2004; Colton 1956; Colton and Hargrave 1937; Dittert and Plog 1980; Smith 1971). The primary technological changes derived from the use of low-iron clays, which produced a creamy yellow or “buff” colored ware when fired in an oxidizing atmosphere, the use of iron-manganese and iron oxide pigments, and the achievement of higher firing temperatures by using coal fuel (Colton and Hargrave 1937; Dittert and Plog 1980). Jeddito Yellow Ware is characterized by the absence of, or minimal use of temper, composed of fine quartz sand (Colton 1956; Dittert and Plog 1980; Smith 1971) and occasionally, early in the ware sequence, fine crushed sherd (Smith 1971:183). In addition, potters formed vessels through the technique of coiling and scraping, and vessel surfaces were well polished (Colton 1956). Potters produced various vessel forms, but bowls and ladles dominated in all Jeddito Yellow Ware types (Colton 1956; Hays 1991). Polychrome styles within this ware were composed of additions of white and sometimes, red paints to common black on orange or black on yellow design styles (Smith 1971). The Jeddito Yellow Wares have been clay-sourced to production on Antelope Mesa, near Awatovi and the Hopi Mesas in general (Bishop 1988; Shepard 1971), traded outwards across the Southwest, with the Homol’ovi site group as a likely intermediary for further distribution of the wares to sites along the Mogollon Rim, as well as below the Rim to trade nodes like Tuzigoot (Benitez 1998).

The first mention of yellow ware from the Hopi area was by Fewkes (1898), who gave a full description of yellow pottery from excavations at Sikyatki and other sites, such as Awatovi (cited in Smith 1971:474). Others referenced and illustrated the local pottery, but did not describe it (Mindeleff 1891 and Hough 1903, cited in Smith 1971:474). Spier (1918) described it as a Buff ware (cited in Colton 1956). Kidder (1924) first suggested a taxonomic classification for brown-black and red decorated yellow wares, Sikyatki ware, and simply brown-black decorated yellow wares, Jeddito yellow (cited in Smith 1971:474). Hawley (1929) continued use of Kidder’s term, Jeddito Yellow Ware, while the Gladwins (1930) modified it by introducing the term Jeddito brown on yellow (cited in Smith 1971:474). Hargrave (1931) published the first formal, though brief, description of Jeddito black on yellow, which was fleshed out further by Colton and Hargrave (1937) (cited in Smith 1971:474). Colton (1956) published the first typological breakdown of Jeddito Yellow Ware with brief type descriptions, time frames, distribution, and location of type-sites. While “the type has been familiar to almost every archaeologist who has worked in the Southwest… no adequate description or discussion of the type has heretofore appeared in print” (Smith 1971:475). Smith (1971) provided the first in-depth analysis of Jeddito Yellow Wares, which has been further refined by Hays (1991), Benitez (1998), and others.

Jeddito Yellow Ware - Chronology

The chronology, as well as the typology itself, was recently refined using new data from systematic excavations that addressed Jeddito Yellow Ware production and trade. Revision was also possible due to advances in tree-ring calibration, raw material sourcing, and ceramic cross-dating methods. Breternitz (1966) compiled tree-ring data from sites across the Southwest and tied it to ceramic types in the American Southwest. However, problems in the reliability of contexts and the quality of tree ring samples provided little evidence for chronological revision for some of the Jeddito Yellow Ware types (Breternitz 1966). Following Breternitz's synthesis, the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research published an updated series of publications listing calibrated tree-ring dates from those same sites. The updated lists, arranged by U.S.G.S. topographical quadrangle, includes more detailed contextual information for the sites, such as whether or not site dates are tied to tree cutting events.

Recent researchers integrated the new dendrochronological information with associations of Jeddito Yellow Ware and developed revised Jeddito Yellow Ware sequences. Smith (1971) provided the first real revision of Jeddito Yellow Ware types and their dates based on his extensive excavations of the Western Mound at Awatovi. Unfortunately, most of the radiocarbon dates were from charcoal and small non-cutting dates from wood, which provided no context for absolute dating of the ware (Smith 1971). Instead, Smith (1971) based his analysis on stratigraphic detail and relative cross-dating with other ware types. Hays (1991) and Benitez (1998) further refined the Jeddito Yellow Ware chronology. These will be discussed in relation to each of the following Jeddito Yellow Ware types: Awatovi Black-on-yellow, Bidahochi Polychrome, Jeddito Black-on-yellow, and Sikyatki Polychrome backgrounds.

For details of chronological refinement, click on the following link: chronology table.

Jeddito Yellow Ware - Developmental Sequence

Hays (1991:45-47) describes the developmental sequence for Jeddito Yellow Ware based on the integration of ceramic sherd and whole vessel information from the Homol'ovi, Awatovi (Smith 1971), and Hopi Mesas. Trends in the yellow ware sequence include:

1. a shift from orange and bright yellow to cream-colored pottery;
2. a shift from bichrome to polychrome;
3. a shift from white outlining to red outlining, then to massed red areas;
4. changes in the way bowl design fields are framed and defined;
5. changes in design treatment from rigid and geometric to loose and ‘organic’; and
6. a change from rotational symmetry to asymmetry and bilateral symmetry

Jeddito Yellow Ware developed from Jeddito Black-on-orange and Tusayan Black-on-white (Hays 1991). Jeddito Black-on-orange was “a sherd-tempered, oxidized ware made of an orange-firing yellow clay and Tusayan Black-on-white [was] a reduced ware made of gray clay that fires yellow if oxidized (Hays 1991:45). Bidahochi Black-on-white supplanted Tusayan Black-on-white in the 13th century and likely developed contemporaneously with the early yellow ware types.

The first evidence for coal-fired ceramics produced on the Hopi Mesas occurred with the production of Jeddito Black-on-orange and Jeddito Polychrome (Tsegi Orange Ware), which Smith (1971:592) characterized as the “bastard issue of the Northern Polychromes by Tusayan Black-on-white, with some mid-wifely assistance by St. Johns Polychrome…” Essentially, northern technological influences and southern stylistic influences melded in Hopi production of mid to late Pueblo III ceramics (approximately A.D. 1250).

Jeddito Black-on-orange and Jeddito Polychrome differ in significant ways from Pueblo III period northern style polychromes (Hays 1991). Produced in the Hopi area, they are the first ceramics in the region depicting a new style highly influenced by design styles from the south and southeast, such as St. Johns Polychrome (Smith 1971:73). This new style is composed of “paneled designs or three- and four-fold rotational layouts, areas filled with a combination of hatching and corbelling, and a broad, sub-rim framing line” (Hays 1991:45). In contrast, the broad bands of red applied on interior and exterior designs, characteristic of northern polychromes, are absent on Jeddito types. The sub-rim framing line characteristic of Jeddito orange and yellow types only rarely occurs on northern polychromes, similarly with paned layouts (Hays 1991).

At the same time, there are some commonalities between the northern late Pueblo III types, including Jeddito orange and polychrome types, and Bidahochi Black-on-white (Hays 1991). They all frequently employ a few similar design styles, such as offset-quartered layouts. In addition, both Jeddito Polychrome and the later Bidahochi Polychrome designs include thin white lines similar to some of the northern polychromes, the later White Mountain Red Ware, and Homol’ovi Polychrome” (Hays 1991:45).

The earliest Jeddito Yellow Ware types include the Huckovi variants (not discussed here), Awatovi Black-on-yellow, and Bidahochi Polychrome, all having orange and bright yellow paste (Hays 1991). The change from Tusayan Black-on-white to Awatovi Black-on-yellow is at first only a change of firing atmosphere and fuel, followed by stylistic changes. The two types also share many similar designs elements and styles (Hays 1991:45-46).

While Awatovi Black-on-yellow (which was not recognized as a distinct type from Jeddito Black-on-yellow until 1971 by Smith) production begins at approximately A.D. 1315 (see the Awatovi Black-on-yellow chronological evaluation for more details), it gradually phases into, and is supplanted by Jeddito Black-on-yellow. Thus, there is no firm date for the end of Awatovi or the beginning of Jeddito Black-on-yellow types, although we support the A.D. 1375 date proposed by other analysts as an overall end for Awatovi Black-on-yellow production, after which Jeddito Black-on-yellow was the dominant type. Ceramicists generally assign a date approximately A.D. 1350 for the very earliest Jeddito Black-on-yellow production. The continuum between the two types is formalized by an Awatovi-Jeddito Black-on-yellow “intergrade category” (Lyons and Hays-Gilpin 2001:151), in which the sub-rim banding line has dropped farther from the lip, designs are more open but still somewhat compact and geometrical.

The Jeddito Yellow Ware sequence is characterized by gradual technological and stylistic changes. Among all types, paste color gradually became lighter, probably reflecting a preference for a light-firing clay sources over time. In the polychrommes, the use of red pigment became more common over time, replacing the white outlines in early polychrome design styles. The pigment shift was likely due to the near invisibility of white pigment on the increasingly lighter yellow and creamy paste colors (Hays 1991:46). Red was previously used as a slip on some of the variants and was also used to outline black designs in Early Sikyatki Polychrome. Potters began to use red paint outlined by black in massed areas by the late 1300s, typifying later, or Mid Sikyatki Polychrome.

Lighter paste probably facilitated experimentation with paints (Hays 1991). Beginning in the late 1300s, in addition to massed red elements, paint thickness and application of paint were used to create different effects of the same designs. Paauy Polychrome consisted of the application of different paint densities to create the illusion of multiple paint colors: a massed, watery black paint element outlined in thick black paint. In addition, potters began to spatter paint, usually on vessel interiors. Stippling (almost a sponge-like application of paint in design elements outlined with paint) developed later in the 14th century. In addition, potters engraved designs into the paint, as well as used orange, red, and black paint in Late Sikyatki Polychrome. All of these techniques were common in the late 14th century (Hays 1991:46).

In addition, treatment of banding lines below the rim and around the base of the bowl design changed over time (Hays 1991). The sub-rim banding line became broader and was placed lower from the rim. Then, use of the interior, basal line defining the design field began to be dropped from the overall design, “leaving the design floating below the broad, broken line” near the rim (Hays 1991:46). Eventually, even this line was abandoned, leaving the interior surface unbounded and open to free design. This unbound design field corresponds with the elaborate polychrome bird and feather designs, all of which appear to begin in the 15th century.

Authored by: Elizabeth Nichols and Jeanne Stevens Schofer