Salt Lake County, Utah 2026-01

This collection contains two items, likely from dry alcoves in southern Utah. A fragmentary jar, possibly Moccasin Gray (estimated dates between 775 A.D. - 950 A.D.) and a split twig figurine (estimated dates between 2,000 B.C. and 100 A.D.).

The current custodian inherited these items from their grandfather and has had them in their possession for a few decades. They estimate that these items were collected in the mid-1900s, although they don't recall that the dates or locations were ever told to them. They would like to see these items better taken care of, and were not sure who could do that.

The neckbanded, gray ware jar is currently in fragments, although may have represented most of a whole vessel at the time of removal. It has very thin walls that are crumbling a little to the touch, making this one of the more fragile jars I've come across. A jar of this size may have been used for cooking or storage. It has residue on the interior and exterior that could be useful for dating it and determining what it once contained. Mocassin Gray neckbanded jars are associated with the Ancestral Puebloan peoples, indicating that this jar likely was found on the northern Colorado Plateau (the Four Corners area stretching westward to Las Vegas).

The split twig figurine is a rare example of the type. Over 400 similar figurines have been identified across the Grand Canyon and Desolation Canyon areas of the Colorado and Green Rivers, respectively. This figurine was created in the Grand Canyon style, suggesting it was found with or near the grayware jar. This figurine has been broken into four fragments, but remains in good condition. If it is continued to be subject to movement, however, it will likely continue to break.