Stephen leblancs painted by a distant hand is a slim but informative volume inspired by a two year long exhibit of mimbres ad 200 1100 pottery at harvards peabody museumleblanc discusses the meaning of the potterys figurative imagery and abstract patterns the artists who created them most likely women and what they indicate about daily life all in clear straightforward prose. Highlighting one of the peabody museums most important archaeological expeditions the excavation of the swarts ranch ruin in southwestern new mexico by harriet and burton cosgrove in the mid 1920s the show features more than 100 rare never before exhibited examples of mimbres painted pottery painted by a distant hand traces the origins of the mimbres people and what became of them the exhibit also considers the meaning of the images who among the mimbres painted them and what . Highlighting one of the peabody museums most important archaeological expeditions the excavation of the swarts ranch ruin in southwestern new mexico by harriet and burton cosgrove in the mid 1920s steven leblancs book features rare never before published examples of mimbres painted pottery considered by many scholars to be the most unique of all the ancient art traditions of north america made between ad 1000 and 1150 these pottery bowls and jars depict birds fish insects . Painted by a distant hand is an excellent introduction to mimbres pottery the first part of the book is an essay by archaeologist steven a leblanc divided into short informative chapters such as a brief history of the mimbres people mimbres daily life and who painted the bowls. Highlighting one of the peabody museums most important archaeological expeditions the excavation of the swarts ranch ruin in southwestern new mexico by harriet and burton cosgrove in the mid 1920s steven leblancs book features rare never before published examples of mimbres painted pottery considered by many scholars to be the most unique of all the ancient art traditions of north america