San Juan Pueblo Black Pottery Bowl with Fluted Wall

This bowl features initials that probably identify the makers, but we have been unable to unscramble the mystery.  The initials Q. E. and C. M. were painted on the side wall with matte black pigment.  The thin wall of the vessel steered us to identify the origin as San Juan Pueblo.

The bowl has a globular lower body and tall fluted side walls.  The finish was stone polished on the interior and exterior.  It is on one of these fluted sections that the initials appear.

The bowl is among several pottery items that were collected by Mary Louise Mark of Westerville, Ohio.  Ms. Mark (1878-1972) was a Professor of Sociology and Statistics at Ohio State University.  She acquired most of her collection during her participation in 1927 on a Survey of the Conditions of American Indians sponsored by the Institute of Government Research (later known as the Brookings Institute.)

We have designated this bowl as having been made at San Juan Pueblo, rather than acknowledging the current name Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo. Our reasoning is that we believe the bowl was made during the time when the pueblo was still under the name of San Juan. The pueblo's original name was Ohkay Owingeh but was changed in the late 1500s by the Spanish colonists to honor San Juan. A decade or so ago (have not found the official date), the pueblo returned to its original Tewa name, Ohkay Owingeh. We generally refer to pottery as San Juan Pueblo pottery as most of the pottery we encounter today was made during the period of the Spanish endowed name San Juan.

Condition: this San Juan Pueblo Black Pottery Bowl with Fluted Wall is in very good condition

Recommended Reading: Pottery of the Pueblos of New Mexico 1700-1940 by Jonathan Batkin

TAGS: Southwest Indian Pottery, San Juan Pueblo