About the Object

This four-color Acoma polychrome jar features white slip with black, red, and orange painted decoration. The multi-banded decorated Acoma jar is framed by zigzagging and horizontal orange and red rainbow bands. At the shoulder of the jar is a leveled orange rainbow band. The neck portion consists of a singular red rainbow band that juts outward in all directions, including an orientation that resembles stairs. An orange band zigzags across the entire belly of the jar, touching the high orange base that rests on the bottom. In between each colored rainbow band are elongated black triangles that may represent rain clouds, but their sinuous nature may also represent feathers. Many of the triangles on the neckband decoration are split and some of the triangles on the body of the jar are capped with half circles that may represent clouds.

Additional Information

The Pueblo of Acoma, also known as Haak’u and Sky City, is a sacred Indigenous homeland located in northwest New Mexico. The Pueblo people who call Acoma their home are a modern people with a living culture and tradition that is rooted in their land. Their art forms, such as pottery, are the traditions of their ancestors and are directly tied to their language, dance, and celebrations.