1970.31
Water Jar or Olla
Artist
Artist Unidentified (Native American)
Title
Water Jar or Olla
Creation Date
ca. 1880
Century
19th century
Dimensions
10 in. x 13 in. (25.4 cm. x 33.02 cm.)
Object Type
ceramic
Creation Place
North America, United States, New Mexico
Medium and Support
terracotta
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Herbert E. Hawkes
Copyright
Public Domain
Accession Number
1970.31
Hand-built of clay coils, this large water jar or olla was created at Zuñi Pueblo, an Indigenous community in New Mexico celebrated for its work in ceramics. After the vessel dried, its maker decorated it with a white clay slip highlighted by red and black pigments. The distinctive geometric pattern includes a deer with a red line running from its heart to its mouth. This heart-line, a symbol of the animal’s spirit, is common in Pueblo pottery. As the United States expanded westward, Native American nations were forced to adapt to new social and political circumstances, including the rise of tourism. During the nineteenth century a vogue for Indigenous artworks developed among non-Native collectors.
Additional Media
side/detail
side/detail
side/detail