Although David Breternitz’s publication is of primary interest to the specialists engaged in Southwestern archaeological research, it does contain a discussion of the general problems involved in attempts to date accurately various kinds of pottery classifications, such as “type,” “style,” “horizon marker,” and “horizon style.” In addition, several conclusions are made about the process of ceramic distribution in the Southwest.

Utilizing approximately 5715 tree-ring dates, 325 pottery “types” from 342 sites are tabulated and interpreted. The time period spanned by this analysis extends from the introduction of ceramics to the Spanish Entrada. Much less successful was Breternitz’s attempt to date ceramic “styles.” Not only are the time periods longer and less rigidly delineated, but the “styles” represent a higher level of abstraction. By extension the same difficulties apply to the dating of “horizon styles.” Another major conclusion of Breternitz is that there was a general and progressive increase in the amount and range of traded pottery, as well as an increase after 1200 A.D. in the local copying of the trade ware, particularly that of small decorated vessels as opposed to the large utility or undecorated ceramic containers. This trade apparently was carried out by person-to-person contact rather than by the institutionalized traders of Mesoamerica.