I-1-97 Hopi jar by Nampeyo and Annie.
The Hopi speak a unique branch of the Uto-Aztecan linguistic family meriting its own name of “Hopi”. They are the on ly Puebloan Indians in Arizona inhabiting, since prehistoric times, a small number of villages and picturesque mesa top pueblos clustered in the northeastern part of that state. Although pottery was once made on all the mesas, it has become largely the domain of First Mesa during the past hundred years. This was mostly due to a Tewa woman by the name of Nampeyo who revived an ancient type of Hopi pottery called Sityatki during the late 19th century. It soon replaced the previous ceramic tradition at First Mesa and is thus called Sityatki revival style.
This small jar is typical of the jars made by Nampeyo and then painted by one of her daughters. This was most likely painted by Annie and has the classic “clown face” design common to pottery by Nampeyo.
It measures 5 1/2 inches d. by 3 1/4 inches high. Circa 1925. $1,500.00