Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Make a strong, beautiful pot with just 3 tools—a puki, a smooth anvil stone, and a wooden paddle. Learn the primitive paddle and anvil hand-building method used by Hohokam and Sinagua potters—no wheel required.
• What you’ll learn
• Finding/prepping local clay and adding temper (sand/crushed rock)
• Building a base in a puki and adding coils
• Thinning/strengthening walls with paddle + anvil
• Smoothing, rim work, and slow drying (to prevent cracks)
• Open-pit firing basics (traditional desert methods)
• Tools & materials
• Puki (shallow bowl/dish)
• Anvil stone (smooth, fits in hand)
• Wooden paddle (carved paddle, spoon, or mixing stick)
• Local clay + temper + water
Why this works
• This ancient technique creates thin, durable walls without a studio, wheel, or big budget—authentic, accessible, and beginner-friendly.
If you want a deeper dive, watch my full Paddle & Anvil Step-by-Step guide on Will O’s Southwest Studio. Comment what primitive piece I should make next!
Safety & respect
• Dry slowly in a cool, draft-free spot.
• Use safe, legal locations for open-pit firing and follow local fire restrictions.
00:00 3-Tool Pottery: No Wheel
01:19 Desert Roots: Hohokam & Sinagua
03:56 3 Tools: Puki • Anvil • Paddle
05:26 Clay Prep: Temper & Mix
06:08 Base Formed in the Puki
07:33 Coils: Build the Walls
09:01 Paddle & Anvil: Thin & Shape
10:05 Dry Slow: Crack-Free
10:47 Fire & Final Piece
#primitivepottery #paddleandanvil #diypottery #handbuilding #hohokam
Make a strong, beautiful pot with just 3 tools—a puki, a smooth anvil stone, and a wooden paddle. Learn the primitive paddle and anvil hand-building method used by Hohokam and Sinagua potters—no wheel required.
• What you’ll learn
• Finding/prepping local clay and adding temper (sand/crushed rock)
• Building a base in a puki and adding coils
• Thinning/strengthening walls with paddle + anvil
• Smoothing, rim work, and slow drying (to prevent cracks)
• Open-pit firing basics (traditional desert methods)
• Tools & materials
• Puki (shallow bowl/dish)
• Anvil stone (smooth, fits in hand)
• Wooden paddle (carved paddle, spoon, or mixing stick)
• Local clay + temper + water
Why this works
• This ancient technique creates thin, durable walls without a studio, wheel, or big budget—authentic, accessible, and beginner-friendly.
If you want a deeper dive, watch my full Paddle & Anvil Step-by-Step guide on Will O’s Southwest Studio. Comment what primitive piece I should make next!
Safety & respect
• Dry slowly in a cool, draft-free spot.
• Use safe, legal locations for open-pit firing and follow local fire restrictions.
00:00 3-Tool Pottery: No Wheel
01:19 Desert Roots: Hohokam & Sinagua
03:56 3 Tools: Puki • Anvil • Paddle
05:26 Clay Prep: Temper & Mix
06:08 Base Formed in the Puki
07:33 Coils: Build the Walls
09:01 Paddle & Anvil: Thin & Shape
10:05 Dry Slow: Crack-Free
10:47 Fire & Final Piece
#primitivepottery #paddleandanvil #diypottery #handbuilding #hohokam
