The process, location, and history of Hohokam Buff ware production: some experimental and analytical results

A distinctive red-on-buff pottery, found throughout central and southern Arizona, is a hallmark of prehistoric Hohokam culture. To manufacture it, Hohokam potters used a complicated recipe and controls for firing to chemically manipulate their clay and produce a light-colored fabric on which to paint their red designs. In this study, firing experiments and ceramic analysis are used in conjunction with excavation evidence to evaluate competing ideas about the buff ware manufacturing process, investigate where the pots were made, and model the developmental history of red-on-buff production.