Zuni Pueblo Historic Polychrome Olla, circa 1865 [SOLD]

In the second half of the 19th century (i.e. circa 1850-1890) there is evidence that potters at Zuni Pueblo, and some of the other pueblos, began to expand their design concepts from the more simple style to one of immense complexity.  The creativity of many potters began to become evident.

There are a couple other changes occurring during this period concerning the paint inside the rim and on the underbody. Prior to 1840, Zuni jars featured red underbodies and red slip on the inside of the rim. For a time, black paint was painted over the red inside the rim. There is no real explanation for potters doing this.  By tradition, the inside rim paint was always red and at this time they began to overpaint the red with black.  By 1870, the inside became black paint only, not painted over the red. The red underbody began to be replaced with black around 1850 but it was almost 4 decades before the transformation was complete, although it is generally accepted that the red gave way to black by 1865.

Earlier Zuni jars had a very distinctive puki flexure which gradually declined in time.  The puki line resulted from use of a bowl in which the base of the jar was started.  As the jar was built up, the weight of the clay caused the vessel wall to expand over the top of the puki, leaving a distinct line, a line that in the future would be sanded away.  The maximum width (diameter) of the jars moved upward as time passed. These and the above items are used to assist in selecting an approximate date of Zuni jars. The large selection of Zuni vessels in the Smithsonian provides ample evidence to assist in dating as well.  Harlow and Lanmon examined many Zuni vessels with known acquisition dates and made conclusions based on their research.

This pottery jar has brown paint on the rim and on the inside of the rim, red paint on the underbody, maximum diameter near the shoulder, distinctive puki ridge, elaborate designs and red paint in the fine-line elements on the neck.  Based on these it has been determined that his jar dates to no later than 1865.  There is a very similar jar on page 254 in the Zuni book that was collected in 1879 and has been dated to 1865.  It is quite possible both jars were made by the same potter.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: from the collection of a gentleman from Colorado

Recommended Reading: The Pottery of Zuni Pueblo by Harlow and Lanmon