Acoma Pueblo Double Headed Bird Effigy Jar [SOLD]

Harlow and Lanman, in their comprehensive book The Pottery of Acoma Pueblo, devoted Chapter 10 to modeled pottery vessels dating circa 1870-1880.  “Modeled pottery animals made at Acoma and Laguna before about 1910 are quite rare, in contrast to the abundant figures made at Zuni Pueblo.  The pieces are predominantly birds and mammals whose species are not usually obvious. . . Interestingly, many of these sculpted animals are two-headed, with a head at each end.  The bodies are quite bulbous, are hollow, and have a hole somewhere to let gases escape during firing.

“The construction of such a form is quite challenging.  The pieces are generally of light (thin-walled) construction, probably similar to that employed in making a canteen.  The bottom may have been started in a puki, with the sides built up and smoothed until the top became too narrow to admit fingers and smoothing implements.  At that point, heads were added. One head has an open mouth or an opening at the top, while the second is often spherical, with a projecting beak or mouth but without an opening.”

The description by Harlow and Lanmon is applicable to this vessel made at Acoma circa 1880s.  The white-headed bird has an opening in the top and a beak resembling that of a duck. The red headed bird has modelled eyes and a long beak.  These effigy bird vessels were made at Acoma and Laguna during the late 1800s but it is not known for what purpose. They are all so similar in shape and design, one wonders if the style was regimented by custom or rule.

Condition: Two headed vessels such as this one generally have some damage, primarily because their beaks protrude.  It is usually the beaks that suffer damage. That is the case with this one. Both beaks were clipped at their end points and both have been professionally repaired.  No other damage occurred.

Provenance: this Acoma Pueblo Double Headed Bird Effigy Jar is from the collection of a gentleman from Pennsylvania

Reference: The Pottery of Acoma Pueblo by Harlow and Lanmon

Relative Links: Southwest Indian Pottery, Historic Pottery, Acoma Pueblo, Laguna Pueblo