Black-on-white connections : a look at the relationship of mimbres black-on-white bowls with burials

Abstract

From A.D. 750 - 1150, the Mimbres culture of southwestern New Mexico made unique black-on-white ceramics. Although the majority of these ceramics are not found within the context of burials, many burials contain at least one black-on-white bowl, usually inverted over the head of the buried individual. Throughout the years, scholars have attempted to explain the phenomena of the inclusion of black-on-white bowls with buried individuals, suggesting it was a mark of status. These studies mostly focused on the quantity of bowls with an individual and the design patterns among a group of individuals. Their findings reveal no significant indication of status associated with the bowls; no one individual was treated differently from any other. In the following investigation, connections between different attributes on Mimbres black-on-white bowls and burials are investigated through intra- and intersite investigations for four sites in the greater Mimbres cultural region. Through analysis of proportions and correlations this study will determine if patterns exists between the ages of buried individuals and characteristics of black-on-white bowls, specifically: degree of wear and different designs.