Native American Pottery-Navajo Pottery-Indian Pottery

American Indian pottery has long been admired for its craftsmanship and beauty. Southwest pottery from such Native American pottery makers as the Acoma pottery makers, the Hopi pottery makers and the Zuni pottery makers is some of the most widely

known. However, the pottery from such Native American pottery makers as the Santa Clara Pueblo, the San Idelfonso Pueblo, the Zia Pueblo, and the Jemez Pueblo, as well as other Native American pottery, is often highly sought after. In addition, a particular piece of pottery from the Navajo, the Navajo Wedding Vase, has become very popular.

Among the southwest pottery makers, and especially the pueblo pottery makers, the very essence of their particular clay is of the highest importance. The clay is highly valued, often difficult to dig out and is of major importance in the overall look of each particular Native American pottery maker’s work. Much of the painting of pottery is done in the old fashion method using a fiber of a Yucca leaf as a brush. The artist also do a large amount of carving and scrafitto. Most of the Native American pottery uses slip, a creamy mixture of fine clay and water which is “painted” over the surface to form a basis for the final painting of designs.

One of the differences in pottery making is the difference between “hand-coiled” pottery and “greenware” pottery. Hand–coiled pottery is literally hand formed, usually in coils of clay. Greenware pottery is poured in a mold. Both are hand-painted, if they are painted at all.

The process of making greenware in a mold saves considerable time, and is normally reflected in the price. If you see a larger piece of pottery at a lower price, or a piece of pottery that has sharper edges, you can “normally assume” that piece of pottery is greenware. Most of the more expensive pottery is hand-coiled. Although these are different techniques, both involve the artist hand-making an individual piece of pottery.

Shop for Pottery in our Native American Indian Store

Acoma Pottery –

The Acoma Pueblo situated on the top of a mesa in New Mexico, known as Sky City, has become known for its Native American pottery. The Acoma Pottery features extremely fine lines and is sometimes decorated with vibrant figures. However, the Acoma are most well known for their black and white geometric patterns. The Acoma pottery makers usually use a whitish background. Often the figures in this particular American Indian pottery are of birds, vines, lizards or deer. Acoma potters have long been admired for the thin walls of their pottery as well as the complicated geometric patterns. The Acoma pottery makers were very influential in the pottery of the Zuni pottery makers.

Zuni Pottery – The Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico is the largest of the New Mexico pueblos. Due to the influence of the Acoma pottery makers on the Zuni pottery makers, the styles are similar in the fine lines, complicated geometric patterns, the use of animal figures and the thin walls. Pottery in the shape of owls, and, lately, chickens, has become somewhat popular among the Zuni pottery makers.

Hopi Pottery – The Hopi Nation consists of approximately 650,000 acres of land surrounded on all sides by the Navajo reservation. It is focused on three Mesas appropriately named First, Second and Third Mesa. Located on Third Mesa is Old Oraibi which has the distinction of being the oldest, continuously inhabited village in North America. The background of the pottery made by the Hopi pottery makers tends to have a yellowish or golden look. The pottery from these highly respected American Indian pottery makers is usually decorated in traditional designs which come from the natural world. They include such designs as birds, plants, animals, rain, lightning, snow and wind. The Hopi pottery making tradition which was almost lost at the turn of the century is very much alive and well.

Navajo Pottery - Navajo pottery makers have been making practical pottery for years. When metal utensils became available to the Navajo through the trading posts, pottery production declined. The Navajo pottery makers go out and dig the clay, clean and prepare it, roll it into coils, shape the coiled clay into pottery and then hand smooth and hand polish it using gourds and stones. The Navajo pottery maker then fires the pot, usually in open pits fueled with sheep dung. The final step is the application of two coats of melted pinon pitch which gives the piece its bright appearance and brown color. The “traditional” pottery does not have hand painting of any type on the vessel.

One of the most popular pieces of Navajo pottery is the Navajo Wedding Vase. This pottery is based on the Navajo tradition that the godmother of the groom must make the vase. The godmother takes stones which are “holy” and dips them into water which is put into the vase for the day of the reception. At the appropriate time the godmother places the Navajo Wedding Vase in front of the couple. The bride drinks from one side and the groom drinks from the other. The vase is passed around the room with the men drinking from one side, and the women from the other. After the wedding the vase is filled with the drink chosen by the family, and then passed to family members to drink in the manner described above. The Navajo Wedding Vase is then given to the couple for good luck.

Santa Clara Pottery – This particular pueblo as well as the San Ildefonso Pueblo are most well known for their black and red pottery, as well as some black-on-black pottery. The Native American pottery maker in these pueblos polish their pottery to a bright sheen and then etch or carve in traditional designs. The black color is created during the firing and is a result of oxygen reduction when the oxygen is driven from the manure during this process. The firing must be carefully controlled by the Native American pottery maker to achieve the desired result.

Jemez Pottery – The American Indian pottery makers from the Jemez Pueblo share many influences with the Zia Pueblo pottery makers due to the close geographical location of the two pueblos. During the pre-Spanish era the Jemez pottery makers produced a Black-on-White style of pottery. The manufacturing of decorated pottery types of Jemez Black-on-White ceased sometime in the early to mid-eighteenth century. The Jemez pottery makers reportedly shattered literally hundreds of the vessels, so that they would not get in to the hands of the Spanish. Many of the designs of the Zia pottery makers were incorporated into a new style of pottery which the Jemez began to produce around the turn of the century. Though based on Zia design, this new style of Jemez pottery has a distinctive Jemez signature of black-on-red.

Zia Pottery – Zia Pottery makers have created a unique buffed slip, polychrome decorated design. Zia pottery makers retain the designs and trends of their ancestors more than virtually any other Native American pottery makers. Zia pottery has thicker walls and has a symmetrical shape. Zia pottery makers use a hand ground stone with their clay which adds strength when the pottery is fired. Their pottery is seldom polished and contains their traditional symbols such as the roadrunner, flowers, clouds, rainbows and the Zia symbol for the sun, which is the symbol on the New Mexico state flag.

As with all Native American Indian art, which particular Native American Indian pottery a person wishes to purchase should be driven by their particular interest in the pottery itself, the symbols of interest, the style and overall appearance. In many cases, whether the pottery was done by a Acoma Pottery maker, Navajo pottery maker, a Hopi pottery maker, a Zuni pottery maker, a Zia pottery maker, a Jemez pottery maker, a Santa Clara pottery maker or one of the other talented Native American Indian pottery makers of other tribes, will be of particular importance. The most important part is that the buyer enjoy the piece they have purchased.

Futures for Children American Indian Store attempts to purchase only authentic Native American Indian made merchandise including authentic Native American Indian pottery whether they are from Acoma pottery makers, Navajo pottery makers, Zuni pottery makers, Hopi pottery makers, Jemez pottery makers, Santa Clara pottery makers, Zia pottery makers or any of the other American Indian tribes. It is our desire to promote not only the education of American Indian Children, but to promote the economy and well being of the American Indian communities of which the Native American Indian artists are a primary contributor.


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	Indian Pottery - Native American Pottery Pottery by Native American Indians American Indian pottery has long been admired for its craftsmanship and beauty. Southwest pottery from such Native American pottery makers as the Acoma pottery makers, the Hopi pottery makers and the Zuni pottery makers is some of the most widely known. However, the pottery from such Native American pottery makers as the Santa Clara Pueblo, the San Idelfonso Pueblo, the Zia Pueblo, and the Jemez Pueblo, as well as other Native American pottery, is often highly sought after. In addition, a particular piece of pottery from the Navajo, the Navajo Wedding Vase, has become very popular. Among the southwest pottery makers, and especially the pueblo pottery makers, the very essence of their particular clay is of the highest importance. The clay is highly valued, often difficult to dig out and is of major importance in the overall look of each particular Native American pottery maker’s work. Much of the painting of pottery is done in the old fashion method using a fiber of a Yucca leaf as a brush. The artist also do a large amount of carving and scrafitto. Most of the Native American pottery uses slip, a creamy mixture of fine clay and water which is “painted” over the surface to form a basis for the final painting of designs. One of the differences in pottery making is the difference between “hand-coiled” pottery and “greenware” pottery. Hand–coiled pottery is literally hand formed, usually in coils of clay. Greenware pottery is poured in a mold. Both are hand-painted, if they are painted at all. The process of making greenware in a mold saves considerable time, and is normally reflected in the price. If you see a larger piece of pottery at a lower price, or a piece of pottery that has sharper edges, you can “normally assume” that piece of pottery is greenware. Most of the more expensive pottery is hand-coiled. Although these are different techniques, both involve the artist hand-making an individual piece of pottery. Shop for Pottery in our Native American Indian Store Acoma Pottery – The Acoma Pueblo situated on the top of a mesa in New Mexico, known as Sky City, has become known for its Native American pottery. The Acoma Pottery features extremely fine lines and is sometimes decorated with vibrant figures. However, the Acoma are most well known for their black and white geometric patterns. The Acoma pottery makers usually use a whitish background. Often the figures in this particular American Indian pottery are of birds, vines, lizards or deer. Acoma potters have long been admired for the thin walls of their pottery as well as the complicated geometric patterns. The Acoma pottery makers were very influential in the pottery of the Zuni pottery makers. Zuni Pottery – The Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico is the largest of the New Mexico pueblos. Due to the influence of the Acoma pottery makers on the Zuni pottery makers, the styles are similar in the fine lines, complicated geometric patterns, the use of animal figures and the thin walls. Pottery in the shape of owls, and, lately, chickens, has become somewhat popular among the Zuni pottery makers. Hopi Pottery – The Hopi Nation consists of approximately 650,000 acres of land surrounded on all sides by the Navajo reservation. It is focused on three Mesas appropriately named First, Second and Third Mesa. Located on Third Mesa is Old Oraibi which has the distinction of being the oldest, continuously inhabited village in North America. The background of the pottery made by the Hopi pottery makers tends to have a yellowish or golden look. The pottery from these highly respected American Indian pottery makers is usually decorated in traditional designs which come from the natural world. They include such designs as birds, plants, animals, rain, lightning, snow and wind. The Hopi pottery making tradition which was almost lost at the turn of the century is very much alive and well. Navajo Pottery - Navajo pottery makers have been making practical pottery for years. When metal utensils became available to the Navajo through the trading posts, pottery production declined. The Navajo pottery makers go out and dig the clay, clean and prepare it, roll it into coils, shape the coiled clay into pottery and then hand smooth and hand polish it using gourds and stones. The Navajo pottery maker then fires the pot, usually in open pits fueled with sheep dung. The final step is the application of two coats of melted pinon pitch which gives the piece its bright appearance and brown color. The “traditional” pottery does not have hand painting of any type on the vessel. One of the most popular pieces of Navajo pottery is the Navajo Wedding Vase. This pottery is based on the Navajo tradition that the godmother of the groom must make the vase. The godmother takes stones which are “holy” and dips them into water which is put into the vase for the day of the reception. At the appropriate time the godmother places the Navajo Wedding Vase in front of the couple. The bride drinks from one side and the groom drinks from the other. The vase is passed around the room with the men drinking from one side, and the women from the other. After the wedding the vase is filled with the drink chosen by the family, and then passed to family members to drink in the manner described above. The Navajo Wedding Vase is then given to the couple for good luck. Santa Clara Pottery – This particular pueblo as well as the San Ildefonso Pueblo are most well known for their black and red pottery, as well as some black-on-black pottery. The Native American pottery maker in these pueblos polish their pottery to a bright sheen and then etch or carve in traditional designs. The black color is created during the firing and is a result of oxygen reduction when the oxygen is driven from the manure during this process. The firing must be carefully controlled by the Native American pottery maker to achieve the desired result. Jemez Pottery – The American Indian pottery makers from the Jemez Pueblo share many influences with the Zia Pueblo pottery makers due to the close geographical location of the two pueblos. During the pre-Spanish era the Jemez pottery makers produced a Black-on-White style of pottery. The manufacturing of decorated pottery types of Jemez Black-on-White ceased sometime in the early to mid-eighteenth century. The Jemez pottery makers reportedly shattered literally hundreds of the vessels, so that they would not get in to the hands of the Spanish. Many of the designs of the Zia pottery makers were incorporated into a new style of pottery which the Jemez began to produce around the turn of the century. Though based on Zia design, this new style of Jemez pottery has a distinctive Jemez signature of black-on-red. Zia Pottery – Zia Pottery makers have created a unique buffed slip, polychrome decorated design. Zia pottery makers retain the designs and trends of their ancestors more than virtually any other Native American pottery makers. Zia pottery has thicker walls and has a symmetrical shape. Zia pottery makers use a hand ground stone with their clay which adds strength when the pottery is fired. Their pottery is seldom polished and contains their traditional symbols such as the roadrunner, flowers, clouds, rainbows and the Zia symbol for the sun, which is the symbol on the New Mexico state flag. As with all Native American Indian art, which particular Native American Indian pottery a person wishes to purchase should be driven by their particular interest in the pottery itself, the symbols of interest, the style and overall appearance. In many cases, whether the pottery was done by a Acoma Pottery maker, Navajo pottery maker, a Hopi pottery maker, a Zuni pottery maker, a Zia pottery maker, a Jemez pottery maker, a Santa Clara pottery maker or one of the other talented Native American Indian pottery makers of other tribes, will be of particular importance. The most important part is that the buyer enjoy the piece they have purchased. Futures for Children American Indian Store attempts to purchase only authentic Native American Indian made merchandise including authentic Native American Indian pottery whether they are from Acoma pottery makers, Navajo pottery makers, Zuni pottery makers, Hopi pottery makers, Jemez pottery makers, Santa Clara pottery makers, Zia pottery makers or any of the other American Indian tribes. It is our desire to promote not only the education of American Indian Children, but to promote the economy and well being of the American Indian communities of which the Native American Indian artists are a primary contributor.