Artist: Unknown (illegible signature)
Tribe: Hopi
Dimensions: 4 ½ x 5 ½
Hopi-Tewa pottery is a style of pottery that is created on the Hopi reservation. This area is surrounded by the Navajo Reservation which contains three mesas. Most of the villagers live on the first mesa though inhabitants can be found throughout.
This people group speak "Tewa" and are known for their intricately crafted pottery using primarily ancient methods. The pots themselves are created using the traditional coil and scrape methods passed down from their ancestors. The Hopi are known for their intricately decorated pieces using traditional paints that are created from natural plants, minerals and clay found in the earth. The black paint is made by boiling bee-weed for a very long time so that it becomes thick and malleable. It is then shaped into a cake and dried then wrapped in a corn husk and stored until needed.
The designs on this piece are both geometric and graceful, representing nature's path, bird migration patterns, feathers, and the flow of the river. The piece has been stone polished prior to firing. For the Hopi, firing typically takes place out in the mesa using sheep dung and cedar as the fire source. This highly decorative piece would be a welcome addition to any Native pottery collection!
Note: This pot has some blemishes: the design show some wear over the years. See photos for details.
