TYPE: Salado Red

DATE: A.D. 1200 to 1400 (Wood, 1987;34)

COMMON FORMS: Bowls, jars, effigies, eccentrics.

COMMON COLORS: Light raspberry to dark maroon red exteriors, black smudged interiors, rarely red (non-smudged).

COMMON TREATMENT: Exteriors smoothed-over fine indented corrugation, known as obliterated corrugated.  Many other vessels are simply smoothed on the exteriors.  Most all bowls and many jars have well smudged black interiors. All vessels are slipped red on their exteriors.

VARIETIES: Obliterated (smoothed-over) indented corrugated, smoothed, scored, coiled, coiled and grooved (between the coils).

 

 

 

2N Salado Red Bowl, Obliterated Indented Corrugated Variety.

This bowl has alot of Biotite (gold mica) visible on the surfaces.

Approximate Dimensions: 8 3/8" or 21.3 cm. by 3 5/8" or 9.3 cm.

 

 

 

3Y Salado Red Seashell Effigy, Obliterated Indented Corrugated Variety.

Approximate Dimensions: 4 1/2" or 11.3 cm. by 1 7/8" or 4.7 cm.

 

 

4N Salado Red Jar-in-Bowl Form, Obliterated Indented Corrugated Variety.

Approximate Dimensions: 4 3/4" or 12 cm. by 3 5/8" or 9.2 cm.

 

 

5Y Salado Red Miniature, Smoothed Variety.

Note that the rim appears to be painted with a fine brush.

Approximate Dimensions: 3 1/8" or 8 cm. by 3" or 7.5 cm.

 

6Y Salado Red Miniature Effigy, Smoothed Variety.

Approximate Dimensions: 2 3/4" by 2"

The face looks feline, and apparently once had arms and a penis. I have yet to see feline shaped effigies in any other southwestern prehistoric ceramics, especially with the mouth treatment seen in this effigy, possibly indicating a "branch" of Salado with a tradition or religion different from other Saladoan Peoples. See article: Who were the Salado Ceramically?

 

 

6Y Side Views.

7N Salado Red Non-Smudged Variant

 

 

8Y Salado Red Effigy Vessel.

Approximate Dimensions: 6" or 15.3 cm. by 5 1/8" or 13 cm.

In the photo on the left the vessel is between a red prickly pear fruit and a datura seed pot. In the photo on the right, the vessel is next to a prickly pear cactus. It has been written that these knobbed vessels may represent Datura seed pods, a plant that contained medicinal and hallucinogenic properties.  I propose another possibility, the red fruit of the prickly pear cactus.  The meat of this fruit is wonderfully sweet and delicious, it can be dried, and it was likely that the Native Americans anxiously awaited the annual harvest of these sugary treats.  Prickly Pear Cactus today grow in abundance in areas of the southwest and the fruit is made into jellies and candies.

 

 

9N Salado Red Jar

 

10N Salado Red Jar with Lugs

 

11N Salado Red Human/Horned Toad Effigy Vessel

 

12N Salado Red Bowl

13N Salado Red Jar

 

14N Salado Red Sea Shell Effigy Vessel

15N Salado Red Olla

 

16Y Salado Red Obliterated Indented Corrugated Bowl with grooved coils in the middle.

Approximate Dimensions: 5" by 3 1/4"

 

 

17Y Salado Red Obliterated Indented Corrugated Ladle that resembles a frying pan.

Approximate Dimensions: 7 7/8" by 4 5/8" by 2 5/8"

 

 

18Y Salado Red Miniature Duck Effigy

Approximate Dimensions: 1 3/4" by 1 1/4" by 1"

 

19Y Salado Red Bowl, smooth variety with coils showing on the inside.

Approximate Dimensions: 2 1/2" by 1 5/8"

 

 

20Y Salado Red Jar with Snake Effigy Applique

Approximate Dimensions: 6 1/2" by 6 1/2"

 

 

21Y Salado Red Jar with Strap Handles and gold mica (Tonto paste variant)

Approximate Dimensions: 4 3/4" by 4 3/4"

 

 

22N Salado Red Jar

 

23N Salado Red Bowl

Approximate Dimensions: 10 5/8" by 10 1/4"

 

 

24N Salado Red Effigy

 

25Y Salado Red Horny Toad Effigy

Approximate Dimensions: 5 3/4" by 4 3/4" by 3 1/4"

26Y Salado Red Bowl, coiled and grooved with the bottom being obliterated indented corrugated.

Approximate Dimensions: 5 1/2" by 3 3/4"

 

 

27Y Salado Red Eccentric Vessel, possibly a plant effigy of some kind.

Approximate Dimensions: 8" by 6"

 

 

28Y Salado Red Oval Jar with suspension holes on opposite sides.

Approximate Dimensions: 5 1/2" by 5" by 4 3/4"

 

 

29Y Salado Red Knobbed Jar

Approximate Dimensions: 5 5/8" by 4 5/8"

 

 

30Y Salado Red Stylized Duck Effigy

Approximate Dimensions: 3 7/8" by 2 3/4" by 2 1/2"

 

 

 

31Y Salado Red Knobbed Jar

Approximate Dimensions: 7 1/2" by 5"

 

This page last revised: 07/21/2011

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