Historic Zia Pueblo Polychrome Jar with Rosettes [SOLD]

Since the early 1700s, potters at Zia Pueblo have covered the planned decorated portion of a jar with several coatings of light cream-colored slip to serve as the background for the proposed decoration. The cream-colored slip was then stone polished in preparation for applying the design.

A single or pair of black lines was then painted as framing lines to enclose the cream-slipped area to provide a clean finish to the proposed field for the design. Below the lower framing line or lines, the potter would wipe a wide red band of clay on top of the polished red underbody of the jar, the apparent purpose being to provide a clean edge to the merging of the polished underbody and the polished cream slip. The wide red band under the decorated area persisted until around 1930, and then potters stopped applying it. It is speculated that this was done to improve the appearance of pottery that was for the tourist market, although this is not known for sure.

The black pigment used for portions of the design is an oxide of iron or manganese and the red pigment is a watery solution of clay from the vicinity of the pueblo. Whether the red slip comes out orange/red or brick red is a result of the firing temperature and firing atmosphere. Prior to 1920, the red design was left in matte state but potters began stone polishing it after that period.

This jar, with its high shoulder, underbody red band, and matte red design appears to date to the early 1900s, possibly in the 1910 decade. Structurally it is in excellent condition but there are some areas of surface abrasion, a result of use at the pueblo probably as a water container. Those abraded areas add a certain charm to the jar and reflect its history of use at the pueblo.

Reference and Recommended Reading: The Pottery of Zia Pueblo by Francis Harlow, et al.