Cochiti Pueblo Historic Pottery Effigy Vessel [SOLD]

The 19th century was one that must have seemed overwhelming for New Mexico’s Pueblo Indians. The Santa Fe Trail from Missouri to Santa Fe opened in 1821 bringing traders and trade materials unfamiliar to the Natives. At that time, New Mexico was part of Mexico. It was not until 1848 that it became a part of the United States. As a part of Mexico, the Natives were inundated with former Spaniards traveling the Camino Real from Mexico City to Santa Fe, again bringing in trade goods of unfamiliar properties.

As a territory of the United States, the Natives found that rules and regulations, under which they were controlled, switched first from the King of Spain, then to the Mexican government and finally to the government of the United States. Following all these changes came another one—the arrival of the train in 1880.

The potters at Cochiti Pueblo reacted to these invasions in a most intriguing manner. From about 1870 to 1920, they made pottery figurines in mockery of the new invaders. As they were exposed to Spanish merchants, carnival workers, entertainment groups and vaqueros, they began to fashion figurines of them. The Santa Fe merchants aggressively marketed these with some success, but unfortunately they were considered “tourist items” and were shunned by museums. Very few ended up in museum collections at that time. Fortunately, collectors appreciated the humor and collected them. Otherwise, we would not have any of these wonderful pieces today.

This vessel is an effigy form of an unidentified animal. The mouth is wide open, the eyes are bulging, and a handle arches across the bowl that comprises the body of the animal. It is similar to vessels illustrated in the famous Ben Wittick photograph of Santa Fe dealer Jake Gold (Museum of New Mexico Photo Archives, negative #16292).

The bottom of the jar is flat, not concave. Concave bottoms were generally included on jars or ollas that were intended as vessels for water and were to be carried on the heads of the women when going to the water source or back to their homes with the jar full of water. Effigy vessels of this type were not intended for transport of water.