The Black Range

This page is our portal to the rock art and pottery of the indigenous peoples of the Black Range of New Mexico and some adjacent areas.  

The first part of the gallery is dedicated to Rock Art.  The second part is dedicated to the pottery of the region.

We indicate the location of the rock art only when it is from well known sites with explicit directions posted on other sites.  Unfortunately, there are still criminals who are more than willing to chop a glyph to sell on the black market.  That is part of the history of the west, looters have ransacked just about every site which has been found. 

There are many sources of information on glyphs, and generally what they mean.  I will not repeat the information from those sites here except to note that one of the most compelling stories about glyphs and their study is that of Embree “Sonny” Hale, In Place Out of Time.  

Unless otherwise attributed, all photographs were taken by Bob Barnes of Hillsboro.  He retains all copyright rights and allows the use of these images for non-commercial purposes.  For purposes of granting these rights, non-profits with paid staff are considered commercial endeavors.  Contact him directly if you wish to use images shown here for any commercial endeavor at Bob Barnes or rabarnes@blackrange.org.

The Pottery

Mimbres Pottery is widely known, appreciated, and copied.  In the past it was widely looted, but all the spoils seem to have been gained and the looting era seems more-or-less over.  As with the rock art of the region, destruction of Mimbres sites is still a problem in the region.

There are several museums in the area, and some a field, which feature nice examples of Mimbres Pottery.  The Silver City museum is small and has a small collection of pottery, but there are some nice examples - as shown immediately below.

The museum at Western New Mexico State University has a nice collection of Mimbres Pottery, photography is not allowed.  The Maxwell Museum of Anthropology of the University of New Mexico, in Albuquerque, has an excellent collection (example below) which it curates nicely.

One of the premier museums in the area, when it comes to Mimbres Pottery, is the Luna Mimbres Museum in Deming.  An example from its collection is shown below.

The Mimbres Culture Heritage Site in San Lorenzo has a few samples of pottery (an example shown below).  The small collection is more than made up for by the fact that they maintain the Mattocks Mimbres site.

During the “reorganization” period many of the Mimbres are thougth to have moved south to Paquimé in Chihuahua.  Below is an example of pottery displayed at the excellent museum at that site.