When clay is gathered to create pottery, it must be treated and filtered before it can be used. Clay is stored in buckets of water in order to eliminate twigs and impurities from it. After allowing to soak, the clay is removed from the buckets.
Traditional Native American pottery does not make use of potter's wheels. Instead, pottery is either coiled or pinched to create the form of the piece. Various tools are used to create the shape of the piece, most found naturally in the environment, or made from readily available materials. A cord-wrapped paddle can be used to compress the coils. A quill brush is used to score the tops of the coils in order to join them together. A wooden scraper, which is a thin piece of wood, is used to smooth the sides of the coils, to create a uniform texture.
Various tools and items are used to create designs and decorations on the pottery. Scallop shells are used to either stamp designs into the clay or score the sides of it with the edges of the shell. Carved antlers also can create designs. Flake knives and pointed sticks are used to create lines and dots within the pottery. Finally, fingers and fingernails can be used to include impressions within the clay.
Traditional paint is made from natural ingredients, as opposed to bought in stores. A combination of plants and weeds create a black color. Rocks can be broken down to extract minerals for dyes. These provide red, yellow and white paints for the pottery.
After the pottery has been formed and decorated, it is allowed to dry to a leathery state. The piece is then sanded before firing. Sanding tools include anything from corn cobs and pieces of lava to window screens, according to the website Coyote's Game. Once the piece is sanded, it is fired. Often times pits are dug in order to fire the pottery underground, and allow it to arrive at its finished state.