Photograph by Addison Doty. Copyright 2014 School for Advanced Research.
Storage jar
Date: 1880-1900
Artist or Maker: Unknown
Dimensions:
38.1 x 45.7 cm (15 x 18 in.)
Medium: clay | paints
Credit Line: Indian Arts Fund purchase for the permanent collection, 1928.
Place Made:
Valencia, Cibola, Bernalillo, and Sandoval Counties, New Mexico, United States, North America
Object Number: IAF.931
Not on view
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 is a storage jar. The base has abrasions in the shape of a pot ring, implying that it sat on the ring for a long period of time. The base, or “puki,” used to build this jar was a basket. The design on this jar is very similar to IAF.328, SAR.1994-4-552, and SAR.1994-4-562. The forms are not similar but the design similarity implies that these pots were painted by the same artist or that the design was popular at the time. The design includes; seven (7) diamond shapes; seven (7) flowers - one (1) with 6 petals, one (1) with 5 petals, five (5) with 4 petals.There are line breaks in the lines at the rim and the shoulder.
It was noted that sometimes storage jars were also used to carry water. This jar apparently did not, as there is no eveidence of water marks.
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.