Historic Extraordinary Laguna Pueblo Polychrome Pottery Jar

This historic Laguna Pueblo Polychrome olla is a visually arresting extraordinary work of late 19th-century ceramic art. Combining monumental scale with a bold, high-contrast palette, this jar possesses a commanding presence that is impossible to ignore. Dating to approximately 1890, this jar is an "oversized" olla, standing significantly larger than the standard water jars of the period. Its profile is characterized by the graceful, tall neck that became a hallmark of the Laguna aesthetic between 1860 and 1870. The vessel is finished in a warm, cream-colored slip, providing a luminous backdrop for the saturation of its deep red and dark brown mineral pigments.

While Laguna pottery is often compared to those from Acoma, this jar features several documented "diagnostic" traits that confirm its specific Laguna origin: 

First, a central Laguna characteristic is the use of "chain-like" connected elements. This is beautifully illustrated here by the continuous chain of diamonds encircling the mid-body — a design choice rarely seen in Acoma work.

Second, the designs that appear as hearts are actually pairs of connected geometric elements, a distinct Laguna stylistic tradition.

Third, the jar follows a strict, classical composition including Split-black designs on the neck, Split ovals across the primary body, and the iconic "Double Red Thumbs" which is a motif that provides a bold, rhythmic anchor to the overall design.

The period of 1890 represents a "Golden Age" for Laguna Polychrome pottery. This jar captures the exact moment when the Pueblo's potters had perfected the use of dark brown pigments and elongated forms. To find a jar of this size, preserved with such vibrant mineral pigments and structural integrity, is a rare event for the serious collector of historic Pueblo pottery. It has an excellent smooth, aged patina.

Because Laguna and Acoma pottery are so frequently confused, a documented example of this scale — featuring the "diamond chain" and "connected heart" traits — is a vital addition to any serious collection.

Pottery from Laguna Pueblo often resembles that from Acoma and Zia Pueblos with good reason. The Laguna pottery bears the stamp of the pueblo's many contacts with other groups. The settlement in Laguna of many refugees from other pueblos (mainly Acoma, Zuni, and Zia) during the late seventeenth century began the acculturation process, which continued in the late 1800s as large numbers of outsiders arrived. Apparently, the Lagunas were very open to these settlers, for the pueblo became a unique mixture of Indians, Hispanics, and Anglos. By 1870, over 1800 non-Indians occupied areas surrounding the Laguna and Acoma reservations, compared with a little over 600 a decade earlier. During the 1870s, non-Indians continued to move onto Laguna Land, and their arrival drastically changed the earlier way of life. [Dillingham, 1992:150]

Condition: structurally strong with some rim chips and paint abrasions

Provenance: this Historic Extraordinary Laguna Pueblo Polychrome Pottery Jar is from the collection of a client from Colorado

Reference and Recommended Reading: Acoma & Laguna Pottery by Rick Dillingham

TAGS: Southwest Indian Pottery, Acoma Pueblo, Historic Pottery, Laguna Pueblo, Ka'waika