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Photograph by Addison Doty. Copyright 2014 School for Advanced Research.

Storage jar

Photograph by Addison Doty. Copyright 2014 School for Advanced Research.

Storage jar

Date: 1880-1900
Artist or Maker: Unknown
Dimensions:
39.4 × 39.4 cm, 5.6 kg (15 1/2 × 15 1/2 in., 12.4 lb.)
Medium: clay | paints
Credit Line: Indian Arts Fund purchase for the permanent collection, 1928.
Place Made:
Valencia, Cibola, Bernalillo, and Sandoval Counties, New Mexico, Southwest, United States, North America
Object Number: IAF.1153
Not on view
DescriptionAcoma or Laguna polychrome storage jar; four-color; white slip with black, red, and orange painted decoration. The design consists of three bands of design. The upper band has panels of black triangles with hatching in the middle and red double dots. The shoulder band is alternating split and open rectangles. The body band has repeating panels of orange triangles with black open triangles. Orange flat base and red interior rim.
Tribal Collection Review RemarksAccording to the participants in the Acoma collection review visit May 22-24, 2018 (Events Record “Collection Review: Acoma Pueblo Review 11”: The participants are not certain if this storage is Acoma or Laguna. However, because of the design which they believe is more characteristic of Acoma, they believe it is likely an Acoma storage jar. The base used to build this jar on was likely a large metal basin. There appears to have been some conservation done to this jar.

According to the participants in the Acoma collection review visit February 26-27, 2019 (Events Record “Collection Review: Acoma Pueblo Review 12”): Storage jars are constructed with thicker walls than water jars in order to support their size and the weight of the contents they would carry. The base of a storage jar is either round or flat. Storage jars were likely stored in cool places and stored items such as dried meats, crops from the garden, and other goods.

Storage jars are no longer being used or made at Acoma today. Jars that are made today that are comparable in size to that of a storage jar are usually made for sale and not for use.
In Collection(s)
Bibliography:
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.