Perhaps it is provident that a publication that saw its launch from the basement of an airport is now in cyberspace. In 1972 when William Sundt agreed on behalf of the Albuquerque Archaeological Society to undertake the publication of Pottery Southwest he did so with the limited resources of a small band of dedicated professional and avocational archaeologists. AAS had been founded a few short years when they were asked for help in creating a periodical devoted to pottery studies by the Director of the Museum of New Mexico’s Laboratory. It was to be a volunteer effort.

Bill Sundt accepted the challenge of being co-editor in charge of publishing Pottery Southwest while the Museum was to provide the other editor in charge of technical content, i.e. rounding up and editing articles for publication. For almost 2 decades, Bill Sundt was the engine behind Pottery Southwest. Ably assisted by folks like Dick Bice, who magically managed to keep the antiquated printing press in the basement of the former Albuquerque Airport churning out copies and Dolores Sundt who maintained the records and kept up with subscribers, Bill Sundt managed to produce one of the Southwest’s foremost publications on ceramics. Filled with articles, letters, requests for information, and sundry tidbits, back issues of Pottery Southwest read like a Who’s Who in Southwestern ceramics.

For over 20 years Pottery Southwest provided a venue for professional and avocational archaeologists to share questions and answers as well as research results. Now Pottery Southwest edited by Christine S. Van Pool, David A. Phillips, and Patricia Lee is available on the World Wide Web. You can reach them by e-mailing psw@unm.edu or pottery_southwest@comcast.net. The Maxwell Museum of the University of New Mexico has graciously agreed to host Pottery Southwest’s website at http://www.unm.edu/%7epsw

Early in the Fall of 2004 the Board of the Albuquerque Archaeological Society was made aware of the lapse in publication of Pottery Southwest. Thus, the Board agreed to undertake the creation of an electronic archive of all back issues from 1974-1996. It is a privilege to be able to offer this irreplaceable resource in a format that can aid in future research. The archival CD containing over 650 pages is now available for $5.00 for AAS members and students and $7.50 for non-members.

Patricia Lee, Chair, Pottery Southwest Publications, holds a BA/MA in anthropology from Hunter College and is ABD in archaeology at the City University of New York. Her research interests include the international four corners region of Sonora, Chihuahua, Arizona, and New Mexico as well as pre-contact ceramics and iconography. She holds a Graduate Certificate in Historic Preservation and Regionalism from the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of New Mexico and she is the author of "The Complete Guide to Job Sharing" (1983) Walker and Company, New York.

David Phillips has been involved in Southwest archaeology since 1970 anlso an adjunct Associate Professor of anthropology at UNM. He received his Ph.D. from the University of d is currently the Curator of Archaeology at the Maxwell Museum, University of New Mexico. He is aArizona.

Christine S. VanPool received her doctorate from the University of New Mexico and is now a visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Her research focuses on Casas Grandes archaeology, ceramics, and iconography, along with general questions concerning archaeological method and theory, and shamanic and gender practices throughout northern Mexico and the American Southwest.