Native American, southwest New Mexico, villages in southern Cibola Anasazi/northern Mogollon, Ancestral Puebloan (Anasazi) culture, ca. 1200 to 1400 CE. A stunning pottery pitcher, intricately hand-painted with elaborate black-on-white decoration of mesmerizing spiral, linear, zigzag, and geometric motifs. The bulbous body features a thick, horizontal band of repeated wave-like designs surrounded by parallel striations, stepped patterns, and lattice and dotted ornaments, while an effigy handle connects the body to the tubular neck, ending just below the circular rim. A swirling triangular decoration encompasses the neck and petite dashes embellish the top of the rim. Resembling a bifurcated trumpet, the handle is additionally adorned by a register of steppe motif with a fretted border surrounding the flared top. Size: 5.8" Diameter x 6" H (14.7 cm x 15.2 cm); 6.3" H (16 cm) on included custom stand.
Tularosa pottery from the Starkweather Ruin has been divided into three styles - Wingate, Snowflake and Tularosa - reflecting similarities in decoration with their source types. Classic Tularosa Style designs are based on spirals, a diagnostic feature of the type. However, the spiral-stairstep motif that we see in this example is considered to be the most advanced development. Though the meanings of many of these symbols have been lost via the passage of time, scholars posit that they are largely reference natural phenomena and human relations. For example, the interlocked terrace motifs may symbolize house/marriage or clouds/lightning, the intermeshed spirals could mean friendship, the dotted lattice patterns may be intended to represent corn, and the triangles could be additional clouds.
Provenance: private S.S. collection, Los Angeles, California, USA
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#172832
Condition
Professionally repaired with restoration and repainting. Light surface wear as shown with some small nicks, abrasions, and pitting, commensurate with age. Otherwise, excellent with impressive remaining pigments and detail.