A Glossary of Proper Names in California Prehistory

Ceramic Types

Ceramic classifications are often treated hierarchically, with categories descending in generality from wares to series, types, and variants. Intrusive pottery from regions outside of California, notably the Southwest, is also found infrequently at southern California sites, but these types are not discussed here.

BARSTOW. A buff series, found in the Mojave Desert from Barstow to the Colorado River. The Barstow series has been classified within Lower Colorado buff ware and consists of the Pyramid gray type. It was identified by Albert H. Schroeder. (Schroeder 1958)

BLACK MESA. Buff and red-on-buff types, characterized in part by scarce inclusions and the presence of unpulverized clay. Black Mesa buff appears to have been manufactured on the lower Colorado River above and below Yuma. It has been assigned to the Patayan I period (ca. A.D. 700-1000). Black Mesa buff is similar in most respects to Tumco buff. It has been classified within the Palo Verde series and Lower Colorado buff ware. The types were distinguished by Malcolm J. Rogers, and they were published by Albert H. Schroeder and Michael R Waters. (Schroeder 1958; Waters 1982)

CAHUILLA. A buff type, characterized in part by its fine, dense paste. Cahuilla buff is found in the Salton Basin and dated after ca. A.D. 1580. It has been classified within the Salton series and Lower Colorado buff ware. The type was described by Ronald V. May. (May 1978, 2001)

CARRIZO. A buff series and types, including Carrizo buff, Carrizo red-on-buff, and Carrizo stucco. The series and types are associated with the western Salton Basin of southern California, including Carrizo Gorge. Carrizo buff type has been dated to ca. A.D. 1150-1580. The Carrizo series has been classified within Lower Coloradobuff ware. The series includes Carrizo, Vallecitos, and Soda types. Chronologically successive Carrizo I and Carrizo II types have also been distinguished. The series and types were initially defined by Malcolm J. Rogers and published by Ronald V. May and Gena R. Van Camp. (May 1978, 2001; Van Camp 1979)

COACHELLA. A brown type, characterized in part by fine temper with only traces of mica. Coachella brown is found in the Coachella Valley of eastern Riverside County. It has been classified within the Gulf series andTizon brown ware. Malcolm J. Rogers identified the type, which was described and published by Ronald V. May. (May 1978; Van Camp 1979)

COLORADO. Buff, red-on-buff, beige, red-on-beige, and red types. The Colorado types have been classified within Lower Colorado buff ware. Colorado beige, red-on-beige, and red types have been characterized in part by their distinctive color and abundant temper. They are found in the lower Colorado River valley from north of Blythe to Yuma, and have been assigned to the Patayan I period (ca. A.D. 700-1000). Colorado red has a burnished red clay slip. These three types have sometimes been included within the Parker series. Colorado buff and red-on-buff have been characterized in part by fine inclusions, thin walls, and hard fracture. These two types are found on the lower Colorado River and in the California desert, and have been assigned to the Patayan III period (post ca. A.D. 1500). The types were identified by Malcolm J. Rogers, and they were described and published by Albert H. Schroeder and Michael R. Waters. (Schroeder 1958; Waters 1982)

COSUMNES. A brown type, characterized in part by shaping through hand-modelling or coiling. Cosumnes brown is found on the lower Cosumnes and Sacramento rivers in central California. The type was defined by Jerald J. Johnson. (Johnson 1990)

CRONESE. A brown type, characterized in part by coarse inclusions of colored feldspar. Cronese brown has been found in the central Mojave Desert, including the Cronese Basin. A chronological placement in the YumanII period (ca. A.D. 1000-1500) has been suggested. The type has been classified within the Mojave series and Tizon brown ware. It was described by Malcolm J. Rogers and published by Ronald V. May. (May 1978)

CRUCERO. A brown type, characterized in part by its fine paste and temper. Crucero brown is found in the Mojave sink area of the central Mojave Desert. A chronological placement between ca. A.D. 1100 and 1450 has been suggested. The type has been classified within the Mojave series and Tizon brown ware. It was described by Malcolm J. Rogers and published by Ronald V. May. (May 1978)

GULF. A brown series distinguished around the shoreline of Lake Cahuilla in the Salton Basin as well as farther south on the Gulf of California in Baja California and Sonora. The Gulf series is classified within Tizon brown ware, and includes Coachella, San Felipe, Salton, and Seri types. The series was described and published by Ronald V. May. (May 1978)

HAKUM. A brown type, characterized in part by its light, reddish color and abundant mica inclusions. Hakum brown is found particularly in the Jacumba area of northern San Diego County and northern Baja California, and has been dated to after ca. A.D. 1000. It has been classified within the Peninsular series and Tizon brown ware. Palomar brown is essentially synonymous with Piñon brown. The type was distinguished by Malcolm J. Rogers. It was described and published by Ronald V. May and, more briefly, by Gena R. Van Camp. (May 1978,2001; Meighan 1959; Van Camp 1979)

LAGUNA. A brown series distinguished in the vicinity of Mount Laguna in southeastern San Diego County. The Laguna series has been classified within Tizon brown ware and is composed of Sentenac and Pine Valleytypes. The series was described by Ronald V. May. (May 1978)

LA PAZ. A buff series, found on the lower Colorado River above Yuma. The La Paz series has been classified within Lower Colorado buff ware and includes Needles types. It was described by Albert H. Schroeder. (Schroeder 1958)

LOWER COLORADO. A buff ware, sometimes alternatively termed Lower Colorado River buff ware, which has been characterized in part by paddle-and-anvil shaping, the use of sedimentary clays, and generally light color. Lower Colorado buff ware has been distinguished in southern California and adjacent regions. Various series have sometimes been distingished within the ware, including Parker, Palo Verde, Salton, La Paz,Barstow, and Carrizo, Gila Bend, and Lower Gila. The ware was identified by Malcolm J. Rogers, and it was described by Albert H. Schroeder, Ronald V. May, and Michael R. Waters. (May 1978, 2001; Schroeder 1958;Waters 1982)

MOJAVE. A brown series distinguished in the Mojave Desert. The Mojave series has been classified withinTizon brown ware. Types composing the series include Cronese, Crucero, and Panamint. The series was described by Ronald V. May. (May 1978)

NEEDLES. Buff, red-on-buff, beige, red-on-beige, red, black-on-red, and stucco types, characterized in part by fine inclusions of quartz sand and potsherds. The Needles types have been found on the lower Colorado River above Yuma, including the area around the town of Needles. They have been classified as the La Pazseries within Lower Colorado buff ware. The types were described by Albert H. Schroeder. (Schroeder 1958)

OCOTILLO. A buff type, characterized in part by its waxy, blocky paste. Ocotillo buff has been identified in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, in eastern San Diego County, and dated to after ca. A.D. 1150. It has been classified within the Salton series and Lower Colorado buff ware. The type was described by Ronald V. May. (May 1978, 2001)

OWENS VALLEY. A brown ware, characterized in part by coil-and-scrape shaping and relatively uncontrolled firing. Owens Valley brown ware has been identified both east of the Sierra Nevada and on the western slope of that range. The ware was described by Harry S. Riddell, Jr. (Eerkens et al. 1999; Pippin 1986; Riddell 1951)

PAIUTE-SHOSHONE. A brown ware, also termed Southern Paiute utility ware, Paiute ware, and Shoshoni ware, characterized in part by coil-and-scrape shaping. Paiute-Shoshone brown ware is found throughout the Great Basin as far as the eastern Mojave Desert and dated after ca. A.D. 1000. (Madsen 1986; Moratto 1984)

PALOMAR. A brown type found particularly in the Palomar Mountain area of northern San Diego County, classified within the Peninsular series and Tizon brown ware. Palomar brown was also termed Piñon brown by Malcolm J. Rogers. The type was described by Clement W. Meighan and Ronald V. May. (May 1978; Meighan 1959)

PALO VERDE. A buff series, characterized by inclusions of potsherds or unpulverized clay. The series includesTumco and Black Mesa types. It is found in the Colorado River valley from north of Palo Verde valley to Yuma. The Palo Verde series has been classified within Lower Colorado buff ware. The series was described by Albert H. Schroeder. (Schroeder 1958).

PANAMINT. A brown type, characterized in part by its coarse temper. Panamint brown is found in the northern Mojave Desert, including Panamint Valley. It has been classified within the Mojave series and Tizonbrown ware, although a possible identification with Owens Valley brown ware has also been noted. The type was identified by Malcolm J. Rogers, and it was described and published by Ronald V. May. (May 1978)

PARKER. A buff series and types, characterized in part by small to medium inclusions of quartz and feldspar. The series includes Parker buff, Parker red-on-buff, Parker black-on-red, Parker stucco, Colorado beige, Colorado red-on-beige, and Colorado red types. The series has been classified in Lower Colorado buff ware and sometimes assigned to the Patayan II and III periods (post ca. A.D. 1000). It is found in the Colorado River valley north of Yuma, particularly in Parker Valley. The types were defined by Malcolm J. Rogers, and they were described and published by Albert H. Schroeder and Michael R. Waters. (Schroeder 1958; Waters 1982).

PENINSULAR. A brown found in the Peninsular Range of southern California and northern Baja California, between Palomar Mountain and the Sierra Juárez. The series is included within Tizon brown ware. Types composing the series include San Diego, Palomar, and Hakum. (May 1978, 2001)

PINE VALLEY. Red and gray types, distinguished from other brown types in part by their colors. Pine Valley red and Pine Valley gray are found in the Peninsular Range of southern California and northern Baja California, centered on Pine Valley. The types have been classified within the Laguna series and Tizon brown ware. They were described by Ronald V. May. (May 1978)

PIÑON. A brown type, found in northern San Diego County, particularly around the Piñon Mountains. Piñon brown has been classified within Tizon brown ware. It may be essentially equivalent to Hakum brown andPalomar brown. The type was distinguished by Malcolm J. Rogers, and a brief description was published by Gena R. Van Camp. (Van Camp 1979)

PYRAMID. A gray type, characterized in part by its color and large inclusions of quartz and biotite. Pyramid gray has been found in the Mojave Desert between Barstow and the Colorado River, and dated to ca. A.D. 900-1150. It has been classified within the Barstow series and Lower Colorado buff ware. The type was described by Harold S. Colton and Albert H. Schroeder. (Colton 1939; Schroeder 1958)

SALTON. A buff series and types, as well as a brown ware or type, characteristic of the Salton Basin in Imperial and Riverside counties of southeastern California. Malcolm J. Rogers’ unpublished notes and collections at the San Diego Museum of Man identified Salton buff, Salton red-on-buff, Salton stucco, and Salton brown types. Albert H. Schroeder described the Salton series within Lower Colorado buff ware as including Topoc types. Ronald V. May described Salton buff and Salton red-on-buff types, dated to ca. A.D. 1150-1350, within the Salton series (which also includes Cahuilla buff and Ocotillo buff) and Lower Colorado buff ware, and Salton brown within the Gulf series of Tizon brown ware. Gena R. Van Camp published extracts from Rogers’ notes, including a brief description of the Salton brown type. Waters described Salton buff and Salton red-on-buff types, attributed to the Patayan II period (ca. A.D. 950-1500) and characterized by lacustrine clay tempered with beach sand. John A. Hildebrand and his associates used petrographic and chemical methods to distinguish Salton brown as a desert ware distinct from Tizon brown ware manufactured in the mountains to the west. (Gallucci 2004; Hildebrand et al. 2002; May 1978, 2001; Schroeder 1958; Van Camp 1979; Waters 1982)

SAN DIEGO. Brown types, found in San Diego County and northern Baja California and dated to after ca. A.D. 1000. Three types, San Diego brown I, San Diego brown II, and San Diego red-on-brown, have been distinguished. San Diego brown has been classified within the Peninsular series and Tizon brown ware. San Diego brown was identified by Malcolm J. Rogers, and the types were described and published by Ronald V. May and Gena R. Van Camp. (May 1978, 2001; Van Camp 1979)

SENTENAC. A brown type, very similar to Salton brown. Sentenac brown is found on the eastern slope of the Peninsular Range in San Diego County. It has been classified within the Laguna series and Tizon brown ware. The type was identified by Malcolm J. Rogers. It was described and published by Ronald V. May and, more briefly, by Gena R. Van Camp. (May 1978; Van Camp 1979)

SIERRA. A brown series and type, characterized in part by impressions of grass and sand and by burnishing. It has been identified in the southern Sierra Nevada. May classified Sierra brown within Tizon brown ware (constructed by the paddle-and-anvil method), but also suggested that it might correspond to Owens Valleybrown ware (formed by the coil-and-scrape method). The series and type were described by Ronald V. May. (May 1978)

SISKIYOU UTILITY. A brown ware, characterized in part as very crude, hand-modeled, and low-fired in an uncontrolled oxydizing atmosphere. Siskiyou Utility ware has been found on the upper Klamath and Pit rivers in California and southern Oregon, dating between ca. A.D. 900 and 1600. Siskiyou utility ware was described by Joanne M. Mack. (Mack 1986, 1988, 1990)

SODA. A buff type, found in the Mojave Desert and dated to after ca. A.D. 900. Soda buff has been classified in the Carrizo series and Lower Colorado buff ware. The type was described by Ronald V. May. (May 1978)

TIZON. A ware of brown ceramics, found in southern California as well as adjacent regions. Five series within Tizon have sometimes been distinguished: Peninsular, Laguna, Gulf, Mojave, and Sierra. The ware was initially identified by Lundon Hargrave and subsequently described by Harold S. Colton, Robert C. Euler and Henry F. Dobyns, and Ronald V. May, among others. Río del Tizon was a designation for the Colorado River in some early historical accounts. (Euler and Dobyns 1958; Lyneis 1988; May 1978, 2001)

TOPOC. Buff, red-on-buff, fugitive red, and stucco types, characterized in part by abundant, coarse inclusions. Topoc buff has been classified within the Salton series and Lower Colorado buff ware and assigned to the Patayan II period (ca. A.D. 1000-1400). Its range includes the lower Colorado River area and the Mojave Desert. The type was variously described by Harold S. Colton, Malcolm J. Rogers, Albert H. Schroeder, and Michael R. Waters. According to Waters, the type as it has been defined by Rogers and himself corresponds to Colton’s Pyramid gray type, not Colton’s Topoc buff type. (Colton 1939; Schroeder 1958;Waters 1982)

TULARE. A plain, brown ware, characterized in part by flat-bottomed vessel forms and shaping by coiling or modeling. Tulare plain ware resembles Owens Valley brown ware. The ware was identified in Tulare County in the San Joaquin Valley. (Fenenga 1952; Moratto 1984)

TUMCO. Ceramic buff and red-on-buff types, characterized in part by scarce inclusions and the presence of unpulverized clay. Tumco buff appears to have been manufactured on the lower Colorado River between Blythe and the delta. It has been assigned to the Patayan II period (ca. A.D. 1000-1500). Tumco buff is similar in most respects to Black Mesa buff. It has been classified within the Palo Verde series and Lower Colorado buff ware. The types were distinguished by Malcolm J. Rogers and published by Michael R. Waters. (Waters 1982)

VALLECITOS. Buff and red-on-buff types, characterized in part by their abundant, very fine inclusions. Vallecitos buff is found in the eastern Peninsular Range and western Salton Trough, in particular around Vallecitos Creek, and is dated between ca. A.D. 950 and 1580. It has been classified in the Carrizo series andLower Colorado buff ware. The types were initially identified by Malcolm J. Rogers, and they were described and published by Ronald V. May. (May 1978, 2001)