Zuni Pueblo Woven Pottery Support Basketry Ring [SOLD]

This woven ring of split yucca leaves was made at Zuni Pueblo as a support for carrying pottery on one’s head.  The Zuni women, known as the “Zuni Olla Maidens” parade with a pottery jar on their head.  This woven ring was traditionally used as a support for such jars.

This is an amazing weaving technique.  It appears that long strips of yucca were crossed in chevron style for the inner circle, and then they were woven in a cross pattern as they bent over for the exterior. 

The basketry ring has attached a paper tag that states “ZUNI near Zuni River, N. Mex.”  Judging from the patina of the weaving and the aging of the tag, it is reasonable to set a date of circa 1920s on this piece.  It is amazing that the paper tag remained attached to the ring for a hundred years.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: this Zuni Pueblo Woven Pottery Support Basketry Ring was found at a country antique auction in North Carolina and sent to me because of the tag identifying it as coming from Zuni Pueblo.  

Relative Links: baskets, Zuni Pueblo, Southwest Indian Pottery