Deadmans Fugitive Red is a type of San Francisco Mountain Gray Ware characterized by the application of  red paint to the exterior surfaces of vessels.

Archaeological Culture: Cohonina

Date Range: A.D. 700 to 1150 (per Christian Downum, Northern Arizona University).

Construction: By paddle and anvil.

Firing: In a reducing atmosphere.

Core Color: Gray.

Temper: Abundant fine quartz sand; occasional grain dark angular fragment; abundant fine mica-like particles.

Surface Finish: Exterior surfaces of jars and interior surfaces of bowls smoothed, often show scraping marks, and compacted; not slipped; interior surfaces of jars fairly well smoothed but not polished; anvil marks definite but not conspicuous; mica like particles glitter on surfaces.

Surface Color: Light bluish gray, pink or red in part.

Forms: Bowls, jars, pitchers.

Decoration: Red fugitive paint on greater part of vessel; rims generally have red lip; no drawn design.

Comparisons: Highly deteriorated sherds cannot be distinguished from Deadmans Gray.

Comments: The red paint applied to Deadmans Fugitive Red vessels was applied after firing, which is, in part, the reason for its fugitive (easily deteriorated or washed off) nature.

Compiled from the following sources:
Colton, Harold. (1958) Pottery Types of the Southwest. Museum of Northern Arizona Ceramic Series No. 3D. Flagstaff, Arizona.

Compiled by:
April Peters, Northern Arizona University Anthropology Laboratories.