What is anasazi pottery made of?

Answer 1

The anasazi made black on white pottery by grinding carbonaceous clay, mixing it with a temper (ground pottery pieces) and with water to form a clay body.

The clay was then formed into the desired shape (bowl, mug, kiva jar etc) and allowed to partially dry.

The pot was then slipped with a slip clay and this was allowed to dry.

The slip was burnished with a smooth stone and the pot was allowed to dry.

It was then painted with a organic paint (made from rocky mountain beeplant) or a mineral paint.

The pot was fired in a trench kiln.

See Clint Swinks book "Messages from the High Desert" for start to finish instructions.

Answer 2

The Anasazi made pottery that changed in style over a long period but in general the techniques used are still the same ones used today by their descendants, the modern Pueblo people.

First, find and dig the proper clay. Dry it, crush it, clean it, mix it with sand and water, knead it to proper consistency. Make a flat disk either using just hands of elbow or in a shallow plate/dish or piece of gourd. Slowly add coils of clay. Scrape and smooth the coils together with fingers and scrapers and smoothers. After it is shaped and thinned, when it is halfway dry, paint with colored slip (wet liquid clay) or mineral colorants. Often people then burnish it ( rub it with a smooth stone or bone or nowadays metal or plastic. Dry completely. Dig a shallow pit. Put inn fuel such as wood or today sheep dung, put in the pots often protected by broken pots. Put more fuel on top. Light it on fire. Feed the fire until pots are red hot. Get a good layer of ash on top to hold in the heat. Dig out when cool. Clean if it needs it.

Answer 3

they cooked clay and put in on the pottery

Answer 4

They made their houses mostly out of stone with mud motar and plaster and logs for beams.