Description (Labels & Markings)
Small paper label adhered to the inside of the vessel with blue boarder, written in pencil: '2.'
Event Date
Author: Genevieve Holt

Description (Labels & Markings)
Small paper label adhered to base of object, printed with red ink, with blank areas filled in handwritten black ink and stamped in black ink: 'No 145 [handwritten and underlined] 115 [handwritten] RECD 5/5'04 [handwritten] (90) [handwritten] On loan from J. E. Cree [handwritten] [illegible]'.
Event Date
Author: Genevieve Holt

Context (Field collection)
Collected by James Edward Cree and deposited at the Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh, possibly in 1903. Cree inherited the Angus V.V. Ranch in Lincoln County, New Mexico from his father (James Cree) in 1891 and moved there from Scotland the same year, returning to Scotland in 1902. Whilst the catalogue card (1948.247) notes that the collection was made 'early in the 20th century (before 1903)', it is therefore possible that some of the objects may have been collected or excavated in the 1890s whilst he was on the ranch.
Event Date 1891
Author: maa

Context (Acquisition Details)
The Cree Collection was deposited by James Edward Cree with the Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh until 1947. It was likely returned to the family before being offered for sale; Louis Clarke purchased some of the collection and donated it to MAA in 1948. The British Museum also has material collected by J.E. Cree, which it purchased from his daughter Irene Mabel Napier Cree in 1939. It is possible that it is she who sold the part of her father's collection that had previously been on deposit with the Royal Scottish Museum.
Event Date 1948
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

Description (Physical description)
Description for 1948.277 A-B: 'Two grey ware bowls with corrugated coiling. 1948.247 A. Globular. See card for photograph 1948.247 B. Upper part a truncated cone, passing down into a flattened hemispherical body. See card for sketch'
Event Date 1948
Author: maa

Context (Amendments / updates)
Photographs of the Cree Collection offered for sale were sent by an MAA representative, probably Geoffrey Bushnell but possibly Louis Clarke, to Dr Deric O'Bryan (a.ka.a. Deric Nusbaum) of Gila Pueblo Archaeological Foundation for examination in 1947 or 1948. He replied with dates of individual objects, as well as an assessment of its provenance, which had been given as the Upper Gila, Salt River Valley, Arizona. In particular O'Bryan noted: 'I question Salt River Valley (Upper Gila area) as the source... my guess would be that the Cree collection came from Zuni Creek or perhaps the West Puerco' (see archive FR1/1/5). It is not clear why the Cree Collection was said to be from Salt River Valley, Arizona; there are no details regarding the objects' collection or excavation, and J.E. Cree's ranch was in New Mexico. When Bushnell published some of the Cree Collection in 'Ancient American Pottery' (1955), he noted they were likely from Zuni Creek. Therefore the Place field has been updated from 'Arizona; Salt River Valley; Upper Gila' to 'New Mexico; ?Cibola County; ?Zuni Reservation; ?Zuni Creek'.
Event Date 23/3/2025
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

Description (Physical description)
Corrugated grey ware pottery jar. Rounded rim no corrugation around rim, globular body with rounded base. Chipping on vessel, particularly around the rim. Some parts of rim have been reconstructed from sherds. Crack down one side of the vessel. Evidence of sooting on surface suggesting it may have been used for cooking.
Event Date 24/3/2025
Author: Genevieve Holt