Awatovi Black-on-yellow was produced in Hopi villages, especially at Awatovi on Antelope Mesa, and is attributed to the Ancestral Puebloan (Hopi) tradition. It is also referred to as: polished decorated ware, Yellow Ware, Buff Ware, Jeddito Yellow, Jeddito Yellow Ware, and Jeddito Brown-on-yellow. It was traded throughout north, central, and east-central Arizona from the early to late 13th century CE. This type occurs as bowls, jars, and ladles with bowls and ladles being more common than jars. Decoration is painted with dense black to reddish and brownish hues and designs are geometric. (American Southwest Virtual Museum)

Vessels were constructed by coiling and fired in an oxidizing atmosphere. The core is generally yellow, and can be light red, reddish-brown, and pink. Core color does not differ from surface color except in misfired specimens. Temper consists of fine quartz sand and sherd, rarely visible to the naked eye. Occasionally, reddish angular fragments are used. The exterior of jars and both interior and exterior of bowls are well smoothed and polished. No slip or wash is used, and jars have barely visible horizontal wiping striations. (American Southwest Virtual Museum)

Information Provided by American Southwest Virtual Museum:

Awatovi Black-on-yellow was produced in the Hopi villages (especially at Awatovi on Antelope Mesa), and like other Jeddito Yellow Ware types, traded throughout north, central, and east-central Arizona.

Archaeological Culture: Ancestral Puebloan, Hopi

Date Range: A.D. 1315-1375.

Construction: By coiling.

Firing: In an oxidizing atmosphere.

Core Color: Generally yellow; can be light red, reddish-brown, and pink.

Temper: Fine quartz sand and sherd rarely visible to naked eye; occasional reddish angular fragments; temper rarely visible without a hand lens either in cross-section or on vessel surfaces.

Surface Finish: Exterior of jars and interiors/exteriors of bowls well smoothed and polished; no slip or wash; jar exteriors have barely visible horizontal wiping striations; jar neck interiors smoothed.

Surface Color: Yellow to light red, reddish-brown, and pink; surface and core colors do not differ except in misfired specimens.

Forms: Bowls, jars, ladles. Bowls and ladles are more common than jars.

Vessel Thickness: 3.7 to 10 mm, average 6.1 mm (bowls); 4.3 to 9 mm, average 6.5 mm (jars).

Decoration:
     Paint: Dense black to reddish and brownish hues; “blush” or bleeding of the paint is common.
     Pigment: Iron-magnesium.
     Design: Geometric; large amount of black relative to yellow; banding lines, often below the rim on bowls, with a line break; layouts are zonal, radial, meridinoal, and overall (strictly zonal on jars); elongated solid triangles; interlocking attached scrolls; circumferential bands; continuous angular frets; isolated figures.

Comparison: Distinguished from Jeddito Black-on-yellow and Sikyatki Polychrome by paste and surface characteristics. Awatovi Black-on-yellow has more diverse temper in a more restricted size range, and in greater amounts than Jeddito Black-on-yellow, which is usually tempered exclusively with sand. Awatovi Black-on-yellow paste is more reddish-yellow; Jeddito Black-on-yellow can be almost white.

Other Names: Polished decorated ware, Yellow Ware, Buff Ware, Jeddito Yellow, Jeddito Yellow Ware, Jeddito Brown-on-yellow.