Cochiti Pueblo Historic Jar with Collar Neck [SOLD]

Stevenson and Cushing, in 1879, and Stevenson, again, in 1880, made collections at Cochiti Pueblo and they noted that the majority of pieces being made there were figurative pieces and effigy vessels, with almost no ollas or bowls being made.  (Batkin 1987).  This has been a long tradition at Cochiti. It is interesting that they were so involved in making figurative pottery for tourist consumption when they really were not near Route 66 or other tourist traveled locations. They must have traveled into Santa Fe to sell their pottery to traders in town because it is not likely that tourists traveled the road to the pueblo.

Cochiti is one of the few pueblos that permit decorative items to be used that are normally considered sacred and reserved for ceremonial vessels, designs such as lightning, clouds and rain. It is interesting that this lack of restriction by Cochiti Pueblo exists when it is so close to Kewa Pueblo, which has strict rules prohibiting use of such symbols on anything that is considered to be a secular vessel.

This vessel is somewhat primitive in construction.  It was constructed using coils of clay, as is traditional, and some of the coils are visible as waves on the vessel wall.  Apparently the wall was not sanded in the manner potters of today do.  The vessel is profusely illustrated with clouds, rain, lightning and plants.  The neck of the vessel is vertical in the style of prehistoric Biscuit Ware, a style not generally associated with Keres Pueblos.  The jar is intriguing in its unusual shape and surface finish.  It is quite likely from the 1880s.

Condition:  Good condition with a couple of cracks on the underbody but they seem to have been stabilized and there is no indication that they penetrated the wall as they are not visible on the interior.  It appears that there is some form of residue on the interior of the neck of the jar.  It is black with a tinge of green.  The same material seems to have spilled on the outside wall of the jar as well.  We have made no attempt to remove any of this as we consider this a part of the history of the jar.

Recommended Reading:  Pottery of the Pueblos of New Mexico 1700-1940 by Jonathan Batkin, 1987.

Provenance: from the collection of a long-time Santa Fe family