Adobe Gallery Blog

This is a superb 20th century jar from Acoma Pueblo, dating to 1930s or 1940s. Although the design is a two-color-black on white-the jar technically is classed as Polychrome because the orange underbody adds the third color.  The base coat consists of a rag-wiped white slip and there is a red neck interior and black rim top. This olla is typified to these dates by the high shoulder, short neck, and absence of flexure at the transition from under- to mid-body.

Acoma Pueblo clay, as well as that from most pueblos, requires a tempering agent to be mixed with the clay in preparation for forming pottery.  Acoma potters gather broken pottery fragments from the grounds of the pueblo and grind them up to a powdery substance and that is then added to the clay as a temper agent.  The result of doing this is a continuation of the life of a previous pot into the life of a new pot, resulting in an unbroken chain of continuity in the life of Acoma pottery.

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