The Culture of the Luiseño Indians: Pottery

---

POTTERY.

Some doubt has been expressed as to whether the Indians of Southern California understood the art of making pottery before the arrival of the friars. It does not seem that there is any doubt that at least some of them did. Costanso's report of the expedition of 1769 speaks, though somewhat vaguely, of the Indians of San Diego as using pottery. The Luiseños themselves say positively that they were pottery makers.

Several different kinds of earthen vessels are made, the commonest form being one used now for keeping water cool, and formerly also used for storing seeds. This is called narungrush. A form of vessel with an extra wide mouth, wiwlish, is used for cooking food, another with a small mouth, nadungdamal, for carrying water. As water is carried on the back or shoulder, it would spill out of a large-mouthed vessel, while the mouth of a small one is easily stopped up with a bunch of grass or rushes. One type of vessel, papakamal, was made with two small mouths. This form was of small size, and was used to carry a small amount of water for drinking when people were out gathering food. It