Zia Pueblo Very Large Pottery Dough Bowl [SOLD]

Dough bowls were not made at Zia Pueblo before the late 1700s.  Dough bowls did not materialize until the arrival of the Spaniards and their introduction of flour to the Natives.  Prior to the introduction of flour for making baked bread, there was no need for dough bowls. Many of the pueblos did not accept the Spanish bread for a hundred years or more.  Zia seems to be one of those that did not make loaf bread until later.

The experience gained in making large storage jars for storage of dried foods and other necessities eventually paved the way for potters to experiment making dough bowls.  The design elements on dough bowls have persisted almost without change since the first ones were made.  This design was first developed on water jars during the San Pablo Polychrome period (1760-1820) and then used in dough bowls even into the present Zia Polychrome period.

The design is typically divided into two segments—one long and one short and square.  The long panel has a wide orange band that goes under and then over black design areas.  The two panels of this type are separated by the shorter ones that feature black designs over a cream color.  The interior is stone-polished red slip.

This Zia Pueblo Very Large Dough Bowl appears to be from the mid-20^th century and does not exhibit any indications of prior use.

Condition: this Zia Pueblo Very Large Pottery Dough Bowl is in excellent condition

Provenance: from the collection of a family formerly from Texas

Reference and Recommended Reading: The Pottery of Zia Pueblo by Francis H. Harlow and Dwight Lanmon

Relative Links: Southwest Indian Pottery, Zia Pueblo, Historic Pottery