Comparative Analysis of Three Analytical Methodologies for Polychrome Design: Ceramic Typology, Design Elements/Styles, and Design Symmetries on Chihuahuan Polychromes

Abstract

The analysis of pattern design on ceramics, textiles, tile and other plane surfaces remains dominated by typological, design element and stylistic approaches. In this paper, I compare these approaches with a classification system that describes patterns by the geometric symmetries that combine and repeat the pattern parts. I argue that these standard plane pattern symmetry classes enable systematic, objective descriptions of decorated material. I use an analysis of the symmetric structures and colors of designs on whole and partial Chihuahuan polychrome vessels from the Pueblo IV period site of Paquimé (Casas Grandes), Chihuahua, Mexico, to illustrate how a standardized classification system that focuses on the structure of pattern parts rather than on the pattern parts themselves reveals a number of new insights on a body of well-studied material.