Photograph by Addison Doty. Copyright 2010 School for Advanced Research.
Water jar | K'yabokya de'ele
Date: c. 1890
Artist or Maker: Unknown
Dimensions:
Dimensions: 21.6 × 29.2 cm (8 1/2 × 11 1/2 in.)
Weight: 2.3 kg (5.1 lb.)
Medium: clay | paints
Credit Line: Indian Arts Fund purchase for the permanent collection.
Place Made:
Zuni Pueblo, McKinley County, New Mexico, Southwest, United States, North America
Object Number: IAF.544
Not on view
Tribal Collection Review RemarksJim Enote and Octavius Seowtewa during collection review visit February 17 and 18, 2010 (Events Record “Collection Review: Zuni Tribe, Review 4”): The neck designs of this jar include feathers and rain line hatching. There are line breaks in the lines at both the rim and the bottom of the neck design band; the breaks are nearly aligned at the same place on the jar. A complex pattern of feathers and geometric line designs repeat all the way around the body of the jar. The concave part of the base of the jar (which was normally shaped to fit on the carrier’s head) is unusually small and deep. The wear on both the base and the rim appear natural.
The word for a water jar in Zuni is “k'yabokya de'ele,” which translates to “water container vessel” in English. The intended use for these jars was to store and carry water, but they could also be used to store other items.
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.