Talking Pots: Deciphering the Symbols of a Prehistoric People : A Study of the Prehistoric Pottery Icons of the White Mountains of Arizona [Paperback]

James R. Cunkle (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1993 | ISBN-10: 0914846817 | ISBN-13: 978-0914846819 | Edition: Fifth

Did the prehistoric peoples of the southwest have a written form of communication? What do their symbols really mean? What secrets from the past can we unlock? Archaeologist James Cunkle is researching the Raven Site Ruin in the White Mountains of Arizona and from that site is putting back together the pieces of pre-history. The Talking Pots of the past now share their secrets.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Pilot, spelunker, sky diver, sailor, scuba diver and more, author James Cunkle continues his dream of making a personal contribution to the sciences and to the study of humankind.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Primer Publishers (AZ); Fifth edition (May 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0914846817
• ISBN-13: 978-0914846819
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #343,139 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #73 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Antiques & Collectibles > Pottery & Ceramics

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Understanding Prehistoric Iconography in 174 Pages or less, April 10, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Talking Pots: Deciphering the Symbols of a Prehistoric People : A Study of the Prehistoric Pottery Icons of the White Mountains of Arizona (Paperback)

Talking Pots is a book with an aggressive scope, suggesting that the deciphering of the meanings of prehistoric pottery can be made clear in 174 pages. Of course the stated purpose is to alert ceramicists to the potentials of symbols and symbol combinations (page 18), but ceramicists already know this. The book then proceeds to provide interpretations for many bowls and provide definitions of symbols so that apparently any layman picking up the book may use it to gain an understanding of the intended messaging within the bowl. No doubt prehistoric Puebloan bowls contained symbols and complex messaging, but there is no way that outsiders to those cultures are going to be able to actually determine the intended meanings and know the interpretations are even remotely correct from this book, but the fact that no one is around to debate you makes it seem easy. This assumes, of course, that Cunckle's identification of the symbols is correct in the first place. Identifying iconography is one thing and often dubious with prehistoric icons, but understanding the iconology, the beliefs associated with the images, is a whole other matter. It is interesting to note how easily we can apparently decipher prehistoric images, the images of a culture totally unlike our own, of a culture whose language we don't know and most assuredly do not speak. And then of course Cunckle shows how easily the same rules and symbols to interpret White Mountain wares can be carried other to interpret other types of pottery from other groups such as the Mimbres - as if all Puebloan peoples conveyed information in the same manner and used the same symbols. A brief look at Hopi, Zuni, and Eastern Pueblos' works clearly shows this is not the case, that Hopi symbolism does not translate directly into Zuni such that a Zuni could look at a Hopi bowl and ever actually understand it without first knowing Hopi culture inherently. Buy the book and enjoy it for what it is, a fun read. Do not take the interpretations too seriously. Many of the whimsical and crudely drawn cartoons should alert readers to the lack of seriousness of the addressed issues.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and readable, March 8, 2008

By 

Scott Trebatoski "STREBATOSKI" (Fort Myers) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Talking Pots: Deciphering the Symbols of a Prehistoric People : A Study of the Prehistoric Pottery Icons of the White Mountains of Arizona (Paperback)

I own most of Cunkle's books and they are very interesting and readable. Interesting content and explanations.

7 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars NOW I'M ANSWERING POTS, November 26, 1999

By 

DAVE UHLMAN - See all my reviews

This review is from: Talking Pots: Deciphering the Symbols of a Prehistoric People : A Study of the Prehistoric Pottery Icons of the White Mountains of Arizona (Paperback)

AFTER READING THIS BOOK I FELT LIKE I COULD ALMOST READ POTS I HAVE SEEN IN MUSEUMS. THE GRAPHICS BREAK DOWN THE POT DESIGNS SO YOU CAN SEE THE INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTS. AN ELEMENT CAN BE FOUND THROUGHOUT SW ART. ONCE I WAS ABLE TO SEE THEM I BEGAN TO GET A FEEL FOR THE ARTISTS INTENTIONS. I USE THIS INFO EACH TIME I SEE A SW DESIGN.