The Art of Native American Pottery

Native American Pottery can come from thefinely detailed geometric lines and dots. I have
pueblos of the southwest or from the Casaquite a few with geckos and different types of
Grande area. Mata Ortiz, Hopi, Navajo, Acoma,insects. Zia pots usually have birds and flowers
Zia, just to name a few, are pueblos that makeand a wavy line or two. Maricopa tends to be
wonderful hand coiled Native American pottery.more utilitarian. The red clay pots are my
Indigenous American Indians include those southfavorites. The Santa Clara and San Ildefonso
of the United States borders. (Remember therepueblos make some of the finest blackened pots
are no lines drawn on the ground separating Northaround. Many are carved out into avanu or water
from South America) Some of the best potteryserpent designs.
I've seen is from the Casa Grande area whereMy newest discovery has been the Mata Ortiz
they create Mata Ortiz pottery. All of the nativepots. Most are made in the Casa Grande plateau
pottery is hand coiled and formed with nativeby some very talented artists. The blackened
clays, dung fired and hand painted. Each pueblopots rival the Santa Clara and San Ildefonso
has there own unique style of pottery. Thepueblos of the north. The intricate paintings are so
images painted onto the pots usually symbolizeprecise and meticulous that it will make your eyes
the various pueblos beliefs and mythos.cross just looking at them.
The Hopi pottery generally is decorated with aAll of these talented artists are Native Americans
feather style, but also has many intricately paintedalthough people sometimes forget that Mexico is
geometric shapes on the surface. Acoma style ispart of that grouping.
generally a light weight whitish clay with very