Design Analysis of Chihuahuan Polychrome Jars from North American Museum Collections

There are many examples of Chihuahuan ceramics held in North American museum collections which remain an untapped source of information on this culture. This study makes use of the unprovenanced examples of Chihuahuan polychrome jars from the collection of the Royal Ontario and Wilderness Park museums. Through a design analysis of the layout and motifs on the ceramics, Hendrickson explores the existence of trait overlap and whether decorative patterning may be indicative of temporal and spatial variation, attempting to shed light on the temporal sequence and geographical distribution of the Chihuahuan culture.