Photograph by Addison Doty. Copyright 2011 School for Advanced Research.
Water jar
Date: 1931
Artist or Maker: Mary Histia (1881 - 1973)
Dimensions:
Dimensions: 21.6 × 26 cm (8 1/2 × 10 1/4 in.)
Weight: 1.4 kg (3.15 lb.)
Medium: clay | paints
Credit Line: Indian Arts Fund purchase for permanent collection, for inclusion in the Mary Austin Memorial Collection, 1940.
Place Made:
Valencia County, New Mexico, Southwest, United States, North America
Object Number: IAF.2104
Not on view
Tribal Collection Review RemarksAccording to the participants in the Acoma collection review visit September 4, 2015 (Events Record “Collection Review: Acoma Pueblo, Review 3”): This clay used to make this jar is the traditional white clay. The jar is slipped orange red overall and then the design is painted over that. The jar was likely polished before the application of the orange/red slip: the orange/red slip does not appear to be polished. Some of the white (gray) paint is flaking off and pitting. The participants are not sure how she accomplished the gray color. They speculate it could be a combination of the white and black slips. The bird in the design is a roadrunner.
The artist, Mary Histia, usually produced black and white designs and wasn’t known for using orange/red in her work. She is known for using circular designs with swirls and other designs coming off them.
According to the participants in the Acoma collection review visit May 11-13, 2016 (Events Record “Collection Review: Acoma Pueblo Review 6”): This jar was likely used as a water jar. Dolores Lewis Garcia remembers seeing Mary Histia making pottery in this form. Not much more was said about this jar.
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)
Bibliography:
Acoma and Laguna Pottery
- Pg. p. 162, 227
- Fig. 7.7
The Pottery of Acoma Pueblo
- Pg. 443
- Fig. 25.39
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.