Santa Clara Pueblo Black Jar with Shoulder Impressions [SOLD]

The two Tewa pueblos of Santa Clara and Ohkay Owingeh are neighbors and it is to be expected that influence in Southwest Indian Pottery production and design would overflow from one to the other.  That is quite likely the event responsible for this black jar.

The top half of the jar had red slip applied and then stone polished.  The lower half of the jar was stone polished without addition of slip.  This process is normally associated with Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo.

The raised band of clay at the shoulder of this jar with the finger-like depressions is very typical of pottery from Santa Clara Pueblo, particularly a style associated with Margaret Tafoya.  The scalloped rim is another trait associated with Santa Clara. 

This historic jar has attributes of both Santa Clara and Ohkay Owingeh but it appears that Santa Clara influence overrides that of Ohkay Owingeh.  Interestingly, the lower body shows evidence of stone polishing associated with Tesuque Pueblo.  The common thread is that all of these are Tewa-speaking pueblos so it must be expected that there would be similarities of pottery from all three.

Condition; there is evidence that some rim repair has been accomplished

Recommended Reading:  Pottery of the Pueblos of New Mexico 1700-1940 by Jonathan Batkin.  This book is currently not available from Adobe Gallery

Provenance: from a family from California to whom this was a gift