Large Flat Santo Domingo Pueblo Historic Polychrome Pottery Tile [SOLD]

One would expect that a flat tile would be one of the easiest Pueblo pottery shapes to successfully make. But that is not the case.  Because they are flat, there is no structural integrity. They sometime crack during the drying process or even warp. This Kewa - Santo Domingo Pueblo tile succeeded in drying without any cracking, but it did warp just slightly. There is no indication of the artist or time period, but I suspect it was made before mid-1950s.

The designs on this historic tile is typical of those used on pueblo pottery. The red elements, outlined in black, are easily identified as rain clouds. Less recognizable, but also rain symbols, are the other designs executed in black. A hole was put into the tile to facilitate hanging. The tile hangs nicely as the minor warping has little effect on perspective or appearance.

Condition: this Large Flat Santo Domingo Pueblo Historic Polychrome Pottery Tile is in very good condition

Recommended Reading: A River Apart the Pottery of Cochiti and Santo Domingo Pueblos by Valerie Verzuh, et al.

Provenance: from a private collection

Relative Links: Southwest Indian Pottery, Kewa - Santo Domingo Pueblo, Contemporary Pottery