Anasazi Pottery (Robert H. Lister and Florence C. Lister)

Price: $21.99
Publisher: University of New Mexico Press, Maxwell Museum of Anthropology: Publication Series ()
ISBN: 0-8263-0473-7

Out of Print This catalogue describes and illustrates ten centuries of prehistoric southwestern pottery, most of it from the Four Corners country, where New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona meet. The pottery shown here was collected by pioneering southwestern archaeologist Earl H. Morris (1889-1956). Since Morris's death, his collection has been housed in the University of Colorado Museum. Most of the vessels in the Morris collection are illustrated here. Morris's own comments from his catalogue of the collection are included. In addition to describing the vessels, he tells how each came into his possession-where he found it or what he traded for it. The Listers have added information about type, size, and provenience.

From This Earth: The Ancient Art of Pueblo Pottery

Price: $39.99
Publisher: Museum of New Mexico Press (1990)
Number of Pages: 180
ISBN: 978-0890132050

This book follows the pottery-making traditions from the earliest utility wares of the Mogollon and Anasazi Indians to the artistically superb pottery made by contemporary Pueblo Indians of the Rio Grande Valley. The 175 pieces features trace the long development - over 1800 years - of Pueblo Indian pottery while highlighting some of its more remarkable moments.

Southwestern Pottery: Anasazi to Zuni (Allan Hayes)

Price: $21.95
Publisher: Northland Publishing ()
Number of Pages: 200
ISBN: Allan Hayes

Four or five years ago two lifelong friends with a considerable amount of pocket change developed a lust for pueblo pottery. Together they visited the pueblos and villages of the Southwest, bought "insignificant" pieces from potters, traders, shops, and shows, and came up with a stunning collection. The authors write about these pots in a breezy, amusing, but well-informed style. They explain their "cheapskate" buying policy"If it's over $40, think hard about it"and tell what to look for in a pot. They also explain regional differences in clay and treatment and provide great maps. After discussing the styles and traditions of the past and their influence, they revisit the pueblos in alphabetical order and discuss each pueblo's style ("Where Acoma and Laguna's bird is a parrot, Zia's is a roadrunner often startled"). The authors claim "Southwestern pottery is not only one of the world's import art forms, it's the most accessible." For those who agree, there's not another book like this slick, smart, up-to-date invitation to collect.