Small Dough Bowl from Kewa Pueblo [SOLD]

Pueblos are associated with certain pottery designs that become somewhat a hallmark of their pottery.  San Ildefonso is associated with eagle feather and Avanyu designs, Santa Clara has become associated with the impressed bear paw, Acoma Pueblo is tied to its fine line work and Zuni Pueblo is associated with the heart line deer.

Kewa (Santo Domingo) Pueblo is associated with strong black on cream very bold designs.  The design on this Small Dough Bowl from Kewa Pueblo was achieved by painting two corners of the square panel black and painting black semicircles diagonally across the box. The remaining cream slip of the ovoid becomes part of the design concept.  The bottom of the bowl was slipped with red pigment.  The interior of the bowl is completely slipped in red clay that has been stone polished to seal the finish.  A 1-1/2-inch wide red band was wiped over the red of the interior at the rim.  I do not recall seeing this on any other Kewa pottery bowl.

Condition: very good condition with some minor rim chips from use

Provenance: from the collection of a family formerly from Texas

Recommended Reading: A River Apart: The Pottery of Cochiti & Santo Domingo Pueblos by Valerie Verzuh