AN UNUSUAL BIRTH DEPICTED IN MIMBRES POTTERY - NOT CRACKED UP TO WHATIT IS SUPPOSED TO BE

Hegmon and Trevathan's (1996) contention that Mimbres figurative potte ry was probably painted by men ignorant about birthing, as evidenced b y a virtually impossible birthing scene, is unsubstantiated This claim was due to a lack of familiarity with the birthing motif they describ ed, as well as selective and unrepresentative use of relevant ethnogra phic and historical data. We find no evidence that men painted Mimbres pottery.