Zuni Pueblo Turquoise Encrusted Fetish Bowl [SOLD]

Stone fetishes are hand-carved representations of the spirits of animals or the forces of nature. Pueblo Indians have used fetishes for centuries to master the arbitrary and unpredictable forces beyond their control. The earliest fetishes were naturally formed stones that seemed to resemble people or animals, sometimes made more realistic with the features accentuated by a carver. Today, they are carved in their entirety from commercially purchased stone.

Zuni fetishes are given a place of honor in the Zuni home and are kept in a fetish bowl when not in use. A fetish bowl is generally a hand-made pot, usually encrusted with turquoise chips, with fetishes attached to the outside. Inside the pot, fetishes are stored in a mixture of wood ash and corn pollen. These fetishes are ceremonially fed through a small hole in the side of the pot.

Often, only four fetishes are attached to the exterior of the bowl, but this one has eight attached and an additional four resting in the interior of the bowl.

This is an exceptionally made fetish bowl with a nice display of chip turquoise on the exterior and 12 very well carved fetishes included.

Condition: The bowl and fetishes appear to be in original excellent condition.

Provenance: Estate of Evelyn and Herbert Weinstein, Santa Fe. (Purchased from the Museum of New Mexico Shop by the Weinsteins on January 26, 1978)

Update: Dwight Lanmon informed us that his research at the tribe was that such objects were made purely for the tourist market.