ABSTRACTSMineralogical analyses of clays, tempers and paints from contemporary sources in the vicinity of Quinua, Peru, were carried out by means of X‐ray diffraction, microscopic examination and physical separation. The data indicates that (1) there is a substantial amount of mineralogical variability in these materials, (2) the differences between the clays and tempers consist of the differences between the relative amounts of plastics and non‐plastics present in each of these kinds of materials, (3) the paints contain a mineral known for its superior spreading qualities. The study concludes that (1) the region had the ceramic resources to support a tradition of several polychrome styles like those made during the Peruvian Middle Horizon (a.d.600–800), (2) ancient pastes made in the region had a great deal of mineralogical variability, (3) archaeologists should redefine their notion of ‘temper’, and (4) modern mineralogical differences between pastes tempered by the potter and those not tempered by the potter can also apply to ancient pastes of t