Adobe Gallery Blog

Realistic birds on Zia pottery appeared around 1820 and their use has continued to today. They became much more in evidence by 1870.  The birds on this jar are typical of Zia birds of the early 20th century.  The birds each have a wing that point upward from the body that looks similar to a leaf.  The birds have short legs, red bodies outlined in black, split tail feathers and black heads.  The pupil is a small dot in a round eye and the beak is split as if the mouth is partially open.  The lobes on the head that appear to be ears actually represent feathers.

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