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

Water jar

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

Water jar

Date: 1900-1910
Artist or Maker: Unknown
Dimensions:
Dimensions: 20.3 × 25.4 cm (8 × 10 in.)
Weight: 1.2 kg (2.7 lb.)
Medium: clay | paints
Credit Line: Gift of Kenneth M. Chapman, 1924.
Place Made:
Valencia County, New Mexico, Southwest, United States, North America
Object Number: IAF.236
Not on view
DescriptionAcoma polychrome water jar, four-color; white slip with black, dark orange, and light orange painted decoration. The design consists of four main design panels that repeat around the jar. Each panel consists of black and orange diagonals and stepped clouds inside large diamonds filled with hatching (rain lines). Each diamond is framed by white triangles filled with black stepped motifs (four of these repeat around the top of the jar, and four around the bottom, with the points of both the top and bottom triangles pointing in toward the middle of the jar). Dark orange underbody and interior rim, concave base. There are fire clouds present on the jar.
Tribal Collection Review RemarksAccording to the participants in the Acoma collection review visit April 22-24, 2015 (Events Record “Collection Review: Acoma Pueblo, Review 1”): Two orange slips are used on this jar, making it a four-color polychrome. A darker orange is used for the bottom and interior mouth(rim), while a slightly brighter one is used in the designs. The designs include clouds, rain lines, and some plant elements. There are four orange, hooked cloud designs arranged around each central design; this is a motif that was very common on jars of the time period. The jar’s designs give the overall impression of a rainstorm, since the rain lines are oriented in various directions. The slip ran on the interior, which can happen if an artist is painting pottery in humid conditions, like when it’s cloudy outsuide. This can mean that it’s going to rain, and an approaching storm may have been the artist’s inspiration for the design used on the 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)
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.