Detailed descriptions of design categories, encompassing the range of PIII design, are found in the Mug House
(Rohn) and Long House
(Cattenach) reports, along with plentiful photos. The Mug House context was such that the PIII material was considered a single type, a product of the 1200s. Twenty-seven of the 170 whole bowls recovered were typed McElmo
(Rohn:147). All but three of the bowls illustrated are entitled ‘McElmo-Mesa Verde.’
See notes regarding the McElmo/Mesa Verde distinction following the McElmo section. In present-day convention, McElmo consists primarily of band designs, with no framing lines other than a border-line touching and/or incorporated into the band.
In future analysis, the provenience of kiva jars should be considered. The only association with
kivas at Mug House was accidental; the jars were found on room floors, in room-fall, or roof-fall . If they had any association with kiva activities, it may have been as special storage vessels. In contemporary usage, ceremonial materials are stored not in kivas but in domestic quarters
(Rohn:181).
Rohn discounted kiva jar use for domestic food purposes for the following reasons: none of the jars were fire-marked; their neck/rim shape makes them inconvenient for pouring; the size is small – 17 had diameters between 17 and 21 cm (181). Possible clues to function are the hanging holes and the flange for holding an unsealed lid. These suggest that the vessels were not frequently moved, and that the contents needed protection from dust, wind, mice, or insects. Storage of special, small, or perishable objects, as Rohn suggests, seems a likely function, but the contents need not have been kiva-related. Pollen or cornmeal for daily rituals, frequently-used crushed herbs, or honey could equally have been kept safe and convenient in domestic rooms with these vessels.
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