NATIVE AMERICA | HISPANIC | WESTERN | MAPS | EVENTS CALENDAR | VACATION GUIDE | LIVE CHAT | HOME

Experience | Learn | enjoy | explore | play | relax | stay

Miscellaneous: Visitor Etiquette, History & Timeline of Indigenous New Mexicans, Kivas, Horno
Arts & Crafts: Weaving, Pueblo Indian Pottery, Jewelry, Kachinas
Museums/Centers: Acoma Tourist & Visitation Center, A:Shiwi A:Wan Museum & Heritage Center, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Deming Luna Mimbres Museum, Geronimo Springs Museum, Gila Visitor Center, Indian Arts Research Center at the School of American Research, Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Institute of American Indian Arts Museum, Mescalero Apache Cultural Center Museum, Museum of Indian Arts & Culture/Laboratory of Anthropology, Museum of the Institute of American Indian Arts, Navajo National Museum (Window Rock, AZ), Palace of the Governors, Poeh Cultural Center, Pueblo of Pojoaque, Red Rock Museum, San Ildefonso Pueblo Museum, Walatowa Visitor Center, Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian

Pueblo Indian pottery

One of the most striking characteristics of Pueblo Indian pottery is its variety. The diversity of the variations of texture, color, form and style of decoration seem to be almost endless and is one of the qualities of Pueblo Indian pottery that tends to appeal to collectors.

The rich differences that attract more seasoned collectors of pottery can be overwhelming to someone looking at Indian pottery for the first time. Several factors contribute to the diversity of Pueblo Indian pottery. These can be lumped into three basic categories: materials, traditions, and innovations.

Materials—The makers of traditional pottery tend to use materials local to their own Pueblo. Acoma is known for its white clay and slip; Zia is recognized for red clay; Hopi for yellow ware; etc. The use of local materials greatly increases the amount of time required to make a pot. The Pueblo potter does not go to the store to buy prepared clay, tempering material, glaze, or paint. The potter, often with a friend or relative, must go to the source to dig the clay from the ground. Time is also spent gathering the tempering, slip, and paint materials. Even fuel for the fire must be gathered and dried. Impurities are removed by hand before the clay can be ground on a metate (stone). Paints are also prepared by hand by grinding rocks or clays that produce different colors or boiling plants to produce black carbon paint.

Traditions—Each village has its own tradition concerning what a pot should look like, the pottery from pueblos that use essentially the same materials and techniques can look quite different. Potters from San Ildefonso usually use matte paint on a highly polished background, while Santa Clara potters often carve a design into the surface of the pot, giving a bas relief effect. Cochiti and Santo Domingo potters use a black carbon paint which requires a special slip material that prevents the use of fine lines in the decoration. Furthermore, Santo Domingo potters are not permitted to use certain designs with religious meanings on their pottery, while Cochiti potters have fewer restrictions.

Varying traditions also occur within different families of a pueblo. Carving is a technique developed at Santa Clara that requires relatively thick vessel walls; sculpted designs are produced by carefully carving selected parts of the wall of the pot. Each Santa Clara family that uses the carving technique has its own style.

Innovation—The final factor that contributes to the variety of Pueblo Indian pottery is individual innovation. It is this factor that makes contemporary pottery such an exciting artform. Artists in virtually every one of the pottery-making Pueblos are reinterpreting traditional forms, creating new styles, or even reviving old ones.

Contact New Mexico Tourism Department | Disclaimer & Use | Press | NM Links & Business Directory | Request Visitors Guide