Adobe Gallery Blog

This grand Cochiti storage jar was almost certainly originally created to be an in-house storage vessel for grain, corn or other dry goods. While its purpose was for function, that didn’t stop its creator from giving it aesthetic appeal. The potter spent time crafting black paint from the leaves of the Rocky Mountain Bee plant and applied it to the rounded surface – a decorative motif that has lasted since 1880, when it was likely created.

Why, one asks, does the potter feel the need to embellish such a utilitarian piece? Potters believe that a vessel is not truly complete until decorated, and it isn’t the design, but rather the act of painting the design, that brings the pottery vessel to the state of completion.

This jar was beautifully constructed and is in excellent condition. Its loose decorative style is in sync with the trends of pre-1900 vessels, and is a superb example of a traditional Cochiti Pueblo storage jar.

For additional information on this piece and to learn more about the Cochiti Pueblo, click here.

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