Ceramics of Indigenous peoples of the Americas

Prior to the coming of Europeans, the peoples of both the North and South American continents had a wide variety of pottery traditions. However, there is no evidence that a native American potter ever invented the potter's wheel. Because of this, all known Pre-Columbian American pottery was made entirely by hand, using a number of traditional techniques. These include sculptural modeling, press molding, coiling, and paddling. Functional clay objects were produced regularly, as were figurines, masks, and decorative items.

Many Pre-Columbian pottery traditions are well known to the general public and are found in collections in most major museums. Among the most well known are pots found in the Anasazi ruins of the Southwest United States, pottery produced by a number of Pueblo peoples, also in the Southwest United States, and Mayan pottery found in southern Mexico, Guatamala and Belize.

Pre-Columbian clay artifacts are often found in tombs and ruins during modern archeological excavations. However, during the early years of exploration on both continents, pots were removed without recording information on origin and associated artifacts. This has resulted in many striking pottery items, some in prestigious museums, being held without documentation. The practice of "pot hunting" continues to be a problem for governments and academic researchers, as a black market for prehistoric pottery and artifacts flourishes in many areas of the world.

Modern Native American Pottery

Several current native American cultures continue their original pottery traditions, still producing ware for practical use and for sale to collectors. [[Category:Native American Artists]