Acomita polychrome water jar

Acoma, Native American

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 746

The earliest Acomita water jars are distinguished by short, undecorated necks, bulbous mid-bodies, and dark concave underbodies. This example features a spiral configuration, possibly an abstract bird, painted against a white, open background on each side. The head, rectangular eye, and beak flow into the geometric shapes that may be stylized feathers and the bird’s body. In traditional Pueblo thought, birds and feathers are associated with prayers for rain, germination, and fertility.

Acomita polychrome water jar, Clay and pigment, Acoma, Native American

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