Large Historic Pottery Jar from a Resident of Sandia Pueblo [SOLD]

Here is a jar to ponder. It surfaced previously at Sandia Pueblo, owned by a Sandia Pueblo native who is now deceased. It has an incredible shape with a rounded body, high shoulder, and glorious slightly rolled out rim. It is thick walled and weighty. The underside is concave as are all water jars. The slip appears to be rich red with a polished matte finish, but not a high burnish. The interior appears to be of red clay with calcium deposits from water use.

According to Jonathan Batkin in the book referenced below, "Adolph Bandelier said of Sandia pottery in 1882: It is black and very thick. They make no other kind. It is burnt with cow-dung . . . after having been smoothed with a fine stone or a wooden spoon spatula. The clay, previous to burning, is red." Further, Batkin states . . .[R]ecent research at Sandia has indicated that a type resembling Santa Ana Polychrome, but with thicker walls, might have been made at Sandia." [Batkin, 1987:195]

First impression, based on vessel shape, is that it was made at Santa Clara Pueblo, however it is thicker walled than any from that pueblo of which I am aware. Second thought is that it possibly came from Ohkay Owingeh because of the two-tone finish of the vessel body, however this shape is not a traditional one from that pueblo.

The jar has a beautiful deep red slip on the upper two-thirds of the wall. It appears that it was slightly polished but not to a high burnish. The lower third of the jar is without slip—never applied, or worn away from use. Examination of this area shows clay that is red, consistent with known clay from Sandia. There is evidence of a black tempering agent. The interior of the jar shows evidence of extensive use as a water jar.

We know that Sandia Pueblo was abandoned between 1682 and 1688, and occupied again around 1748 by refugees from several pueblos. If potters from these various pueblos brought with them experience from their original home pueblos, then it is possible that this jar has traits from other pueblos. [ibid]

The jar is incredibly beautiful. Its brick red color, bulbous body, short neck, and rolled out rim combine to make it a work of art in today's parlance although it was simply a water jar in the past—a functional jar made with the love and care of the one who was going to use it.

"Examples of this pottery (from Sandia Pueblo) are known, but rare. Two thick-walled, round-bottomed examples at the Laboratory of Anthropology have coarse sand temper. Others are in the collections of the Museum of the American Indian and the American Museum of Natural History." [ibid]

With what we see as attributes from several pueblos, we are refraining from identifying the pueblo of origin. It would be speculative to say with any degree of certainty what pueblo it originated at; however, the jar is a Tewa traditional olla shape. That it is thick walled and not highly burnished does not disqualify it from a Tewa village, but which Tewa village is more difficult to define.

I welcome any thoughts you might have regarding this jar.

Condition: good condition with evidence of wear

Provenance: this Large Historic Pottery Jar from a Resident of Sandia Pueblo is from an Albuquerque resident who purchased it from a Sandia Pueblo resident.

Reference: Pottery of the Pueblos of New Mexico 1700-1940, The Taylor Museum of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center by Jonathan Batkin

TAGS: Southwest Indian Pottery, Sandia Pueblo, NA-FIAT, Historic Pottery