Select Page

Collections

Collections Menu
View 1. Photograph by Addison Doty. Copyright 2014 School for Advanced Research.

Storage jar

View 1.
Photograph by Addison Doty. Copyright 2014 School for Advanced Research.

Storage jar

Date: 1880-1890
Artist or Maker: Unknown
Dimensions:
39.4 x 39.4 cm (15 1/2 x 15 1/2 in.)
Medium: clay | paints
Credit Line: Indian Arts Fund purchase for the permanent collection, 1928.
Place Made:
Valencia County, New Mexico, Southwest, United States, North America
Object Number: IAF.1152
Not on view
DescriptionAcoma polychrome storage jar, four-color, white slip with black, orange, and red painted decoration. The design consists of parrots, flowers, and orange rainbows with black pathway motifs inside it. Red underbody and interior rim. Large high-shouldered jar with flat base.
Tribal Collection Review RemarksAccording to the participants in the Acoma collection review visit November 29-30, and December 1, 2016 (Events Record “Collection Review: Acoma Pueblo Review 7”): This is a storage jar. The base is flat and rounded and likely sat in a pottery ring. The base shows marks from a basket, which was used as the base (puki) to build the jar on. The cross-hatched triangle is common on jars in the time period 1880-1920. There are no line breaks on 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)
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.