Historic Zuni Pueblo Nineteenth Century Pottery Jar, circa 1850s

This exquisite Zuni Pueblo polychrome pottery jar has aspects from pottery of the 1850 to 1890 period—specifically the tall vertical neck. Not obvious in the photographs is that this is a polychrome jar. There is red pigment in the neck and shoulder designs, but its tone is somewhat muted, so it blends in quite smoothly with the black pigments. The unpolished interior neck is painted with black pigment, which is typical of Zuni Pueblo pottery jars from the 1850s period.

The crook designs that extend from the back-to-back triangles on the shoulder have been described by Zuni Pueblo potters as drumsticks with curved heads, typical of those used for that purpose at Zuni Pueblo because they result in a stronger sound from the drum.

The pedestal base that appears here is somewhat unusual for Zuni Pueblo pottery. There are several bowls collected by Stevenson with such a pedestal or footed base, but I have not located a published jar with a pedestal base. It is quite likely that this was an influence from outside the pueblo. Whatever the inspiration might have been, the result is a unique and beautiful example of historic Zuni Pueblo pottery.

It is known that Zuni Pueblo potters made an enormous quantity of pottery and apparently had an enormous amount available. This is documented in Smithsonian Institution Archives by visits of three scientists. Other museums collected examples as well.

The first Smithsonian expedition to arrive at Zuni came in 1879. It was led by James Stevenson, who was accompanied by his wife, Matilda Coxe Stevenson, one of America's first women scientists, and her rival, Frank Hamilton Cushing. They amassed large numbers of Zuni items, which, combined with those acquired from other collectors over the years (1879 to 1904), expanded the Smithsonian's anthropological collections to more than 10,000 Zuni objects. 

-Smithsonian Institution Archives

Condition: excellent condition, blacklight examination reveals no restoration or repair

Provenance: this Historic Zuni Pueblo Nineteenth Century Pottery Jar, circa 1850s is from a private Santa Fe, New Mexico, collection

Reference and Recommended Reading: The Pottery of Zuni Pueblo by Lanmon and Harlow

TAGS: Pueblo Pottery, Zuni Pueblo, Historic Pottery