Sosi Black-on-white is a Tusayan White Ware type characterized by bold designs and found across northeastern Arizona. (April Peters 2024 - NAU American Southwest Virtual Museum).

According to Oppelt (2007:79-80): “Kia-ko Black-on-wrote (AD 1057-1180) The type and Dogoszru Black-on-wrute may be style variations of the same type. They are similar in form and have the same time and space distribution. Botb surfaces on bowls and jars are coated with a thin white slip. Bowl interiors and jar exteriors are moderately polished. The surface color is bluish white or pearl gray. The forms are bowls, jars and rarely dippers. The designs are bold and free, similar to Black Mesa Black-on-white. Horizontal stripes make up most of the design with large solid areas. Common elements are horizontal stripes with large solid areas, stepped units, lines with opposing barbs are similar to Flagstaff Black-on-white but heavier and bolder. Decorations cover most of the bowl interior. Found over northeastern Arizona.”

More information provided by: NAU American Southwest Virtual Museum

Archaeological Culture: Ancestral Puebloan, Kayenta

Construction: By coiling.

Firing: In a reducing environment.

Core Color: Darky gray to light gray.

Temper: Not very abundant fine quartz sand, frequently almost invisible.

Carbon Streak: Fairly common.

Surface Finish: Interior bowl surfaces and exterior jar surfaces are smoothed, not slipped, slightly polished, scraping marks noticeable on undecorated surfaces.

Surface Color: Pearl gray to light bluish gray.  

Forms: Jars, seed jars, colanders, jugs, canteens, dippers, and bowls. 

Vessel Thickness: 2.5 to 5.6 mm (bowls).

Decoration:

Paint: Usually organic black, dense and somewhat gritty.
Pigments: Carbon.
Designs: Series of small ranking triangles set along straight lines, sawtooth edge effect, and opposed by like series running in opposite direction, commonly introduced between the two is a line saw-toothed on both sides, opposed sets of isosceles triangles with their points touching, leaving diamond shaped interspaces which are occupied by a single dot, interlocking scrolls are common, as well as large solid areas with serrated edges, coarse cross-hatching sometimes occurs as background for series of triangles, painted areas are greater than unpainted areas.

According to Oppelt (2007:80): “This is a very common type in the Tsegi

Canyon area of northeastern Arizona It has been used as a horizon marker for Pueblo III

in much of this area. The temper is very fine quartz sand. The interior of bowls and jar

exteriors are smoothed but not slipped. The surface color is dead white to light gray. The

forms ofTusayan Black-on-white are bowls, jars, seed jars, colanders, jugs, canteen, and

dippers. The black organic paint is often gritty. The most common design elements are a

series of ranking triangles along straight lines as a saw toothed edge effect and opposed

by a series running in the opposite direction. There are also opposed sets of triangles

with their apexes touching leaving a negative diamond shape with one dot. lnterlocking

scrolls are common. Another frequent design is large solid areas with serrated edges and

coarse cross hatching that occurs as a background. Painted areas are greater than

unpainted ones.”