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: 11.5 × 16.5 cm (4 1/2 × 6 1/2 in.)
Weight: 0.7 kg (1.5 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.647
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”): No remarks for this jar.
As per Jim Enote and Octavius Seowtewa during collection review visit Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, 2011 (Events Record “Collection Review: Zuni Tribe, Review 7”): This jar has a typical water jar form, but it is much smaller than normal. Such jars were sometimes made for children, so this may have been made for a child. The rim is painted black. There is a thin black line with a line break immediately below the rim. The neck designs consist of many repeating bird heads, crests, and tails. A double line with a line break separates the neck from the body designs. The body contains repeating designs of bird wings, stepped clouds, feathers, tails, crests, and rain hatching. A single thin line with a line break separates the body designs from the base. The base is a solid dark brown. It has a small concavity for carrying the jar on the head and shows moderate wear. A crack runs from the rim of jar to the base. The interior of the jar is painted red.
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.