Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Discover how to make and fire an authentic Hohokam shoulder jar using the ancient paddle-and-anvil technique.
Follow along as we start with raw desert clay, shape it by hand, add hematite paint, and finish with an outdoor firing that locks history into every curve. This step-by-step pottery tutorial shows the entire process—from preparing clay, coiling, trimming, and smoothing, to painting and open-fire hardening.
Whether you’re interested in primitive skills, Southwest archaeology, or simply love hands-on art, this guide reveals how the Hohokam crafted durable, elegant jars centuries ago.
• Learn authentic paddle and anvil methods
• Watch the shoulder jar take form from dust and stone
• See how traditional paints and firing bring the design alive
🔔 Subscribe to Will O’s Southwest Studio for more pottery, lapidary, rockhounding, and “Secrets of the Hohokam” adventures.
00:00 Making a Hohokam Shoulder Jar
00:52 Essential Tools for Hohokam Pottery
02:56 Preparing Clay & Forming the Base
07:10 Shaping with Paddle & Anvil
10:54 Painting with Hematite Slip
12:05 Open-Fire Pottery Firing
13:29 Finished Jar & Next Steps
#ancientpottery #primitivepottery #potterytutorial #paddleandanvil
Discover how to make and fire an authentic Hohokam shoulder jar using the ancient paddle-and-anvil technique.
Follow along as we start with raw desert clay, shape it by hand, add hematite paint, and finish with an outdoor firing that locks history into every curve. This step-by-step pottery tutorial shows the entire process—from preparing clay, coiling, trimming, and smoothing, to painting and open-fire hardening.
Whether you’re interested in primitive skills, Southwest archaeology, or simply love hands-on art, this guide reveals how the Hohokam crafted durable, elegant jars centuries ago.
• Learn authentic paddle and anvil methods
• Watch the shoulder jar take form from dust and stone
• See how traditional paints and firing bring the design alive
🔔 Subscribe to Will O’s Southwest Studio for more pottery, lapidary, rockhounding, and “Secrets of the Hohokam” adventures.
00:00 Making a Hohokam Shoulder Jar
00:52 Essential Tools for Hohokam Pottery
02:56 Preparing Clay & Forming the Base
07:10 Shaping with Paddle & Anvil
10:54 Painting with Hematite Slip
12:05 Open-Fire Pottery Firing
13:29 Finished Jar & Next Steps
#ancientpottery #primitivepottery #potterytutorial #paddleandanvil
