Zia Pueblo Olla with Birds and Capped Feathers [R]

Based on research by Lanmon and Harlow and published in their book on Zia Pueblo pottery, we are much more informed on design styles and dating of Zia pottery than ever before.

We now know that the orange/tan slip, as seen on this jar, first appeared in the 1900-1910 period. Also, it is now documented that capped-feather designs were in use in the 1890-1940 decades. An even more significant discovery is that the loss of red banding on the underside of the vessel being replaced by a polished red slip occurred in the 1920-1930 period. Base on the most restrictive of these criteria, this jar then dates to the decade of the 1920s.

The three Zia birds on this jar are of the same style—each with three capped tail feathers, a single wing feather, and a crown on the head. The intriguing aspect of the design is the convergence of the rainbow arcs as they intersect the three stacked capped feathers between birds. Black crescents hover above the rainbow arcs and are divided by a split feather atop a pinnacle. Below the rainbow arcs are split triangles capped by a single dot.

The whole contrast between the warm orange/tan slip, the strong red design and the bold black elements would be expected to be in conflict; instead, they blend and meld to a beautiful rich design. The jar additionally has assumed a beautiful patina over the years. It is in really excellent condition with only a few scratches here and there.