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Water jar

Date: 2011

Artist or Maker: Franklin J. Peters (b. 1978)

Dimensions:

Dimensions: 19.4 × 26.7 cm (7 5/8 × 10 1/2 in.)

Weight: 1.1 kg (2.45 lb.)

Medium: clay | paints

Credit Line: Gift of the artist, 2012.

Place Made:

Valencia County, New Mexico, Southwest, United States, North America

Object Number: SAR.2012-1-1

Not on view

DescriptionPolychrome water jar: three-color;white slip with brown painted decoration. The base and interior rim are painted orange. The designs consists of thunderbirds, clouds, lightning, and mountain motifs. There is a line break in the brown line that is painted on the rim. There is also a line break in the thin brown line that separates the body design from the orange base. Kiln fired.
Tribal Collection Review RemarksAccording to the participants in the Acoma collection review visit May 11-13, 2016 (Events Record “Collection Review: Acoma Pueblo Review 6”): This jar was made with traditional Acoma materials and was very skillfully painted. The brown/black paint is rubbing off. The participants said this is because there was not enough wild spinach added to the paint mixture. The red paint may be commercial paint – contact artist to ask.

According to the participants in the Acoma collection review visit February 26-27, 2019 (Events Record “Collection Review: Acoma Pueblo Review 12”): The shape of a water jar is characterized by usually having a concave base (can also have a flat base) leading to a wider body and shoulder area. The shoulder, which is typically rounded but can also be sharp, leads inward and up to the neck and opening of the water jar. Historic water jars will sometimes have an indentation from the base the pot was built on (also known as a puki).

Water jars of all sizes are made and used. Medium to small size water jars are more commonly used to carry water as the weight of a filled water jar can become quite heavy. Large sized water jars would be used for storing water. Today at Acoma, water jars are still being used and made in both traditional natural and commercial materials.

In Collection(s)

The Indian Arts Research Center, in collaboration with Native American community scholars, strives to present accurate collections records. Records may be updated as new information becomes available and is reviewed with the Native American community having cultural affinity to particular items. Please write to iarc@sarsf.org if you have questions or concerns related to the documentation.