Zuni Pueblo Award-winning Polychrome Serving Bowl [SOLD]

Nellie Bica was the most respected potter at Zuni Pueblo in the 20th century. She was recognized as a master potter and she was largely responsible for keeping the tradition alive at her pueblo. She learned to make pottery early in life—when she was about 13—and continued making it throughout her life.  This bowl is typical of the very fine work she produced. It was well formed and highly burnished as well as exquisitely painted.  It was awarded Second Prize at the 1981 Inter-tribal Indian Ceremonial in Gallup, NM.  The award ribbon accompanies the sale of the bowl.

Nellie Bica and her offspring have consistently made the finest pottery with the thinnest walls.  They have always gathered their own clay, ground up potsherds by hand on a metate with a mano, used traditional vegetal and mineral paints, and fired in the traditional manner.  The clay was gathered once a year from Nutria Mesa, about 10 miles from the village. White clay came from the area of the village.  The red decoration was derived from deep yellow ochre (limonite) which turns red in firing.  The black paint was derived from boiling wild beeweed.

The bowl dates to 1981, as Gallup Ceremonial only accepts items for judging in the year they were made.  It is in original condition.