Black Jar with Carved Eagle Feathers [R]

Native Americans were and are a very spiritual people and the eagle is very important to their beliefs. Eagles personify courage, wisdom and strength and its purpose to Native Americans is as the messenger to the Creator. The eagle is believed to carry prayers to the Great Spirit in the Spirit World. Eagle feathers are highly significant to Native Americans and the bones of eagles were used to make whistles and flutes used at religious ceremonies and rituals.

It was a custom to hold an eagle feather aloft when saying a prayer and during special council meetings eagle feathers were held as an assurance that the person was telling the truth. Eagle feathers also held a connection to the Great Spirit. The eagle has the ability to live in the realm of spirit, and yet remain connected and balanced within the realm of Earth. The eagle is therefore often connected with balance.

Julian Martinez of San Ildefonso Pueblo favored eagle feather designs for much of the pottery he painted for Maria.  Santa Clara potters often used eagle feather design on their pottery as well.  In this jar, Linda Tafoya carved eagle feathers in parallel lines encircling the body of the jar in an upright position.  It is a sense of great respect and honor by Native Americans to include eagle feathers as design elements in pottery.

To clarify, Linda Tafoya formerly signed her pottery Linda Tafoya Oyenque, now she signs as Linda Tafoya-Sanchez.  Same person, same beautiful pottery.  She is a daughter of Lee and Betty Tafoya and a granddaughter of Margaret Tafoya.  She credits her aunt Mary Ester Archuleta for training her to be a potter.  Sara Fina Tafoya seems to have set the standard for members of her family and their output of black pottery.  All of the family members produce magnificent pottery.

Condition: new

Recommended Reading: Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery by Rick Dillingham

Provenance: from the potter