The Zuni Pueblo stands
about 40 miles south of Gallup, NM. They call themselves “A’shiwi,” and
their language is spoken nowhere else on earth. At the time of first
contact with Europeans, at least seven villages were known for excellent
pottery. Zuni pottery had all but disappeared for several years. High
school teachers and two non-Zuni women reintroduced Hopi and Acoma
techniques in the early 1990’s. Fine Hopi painting, Acoma fine walled
vessels, alongside traditional Zuni symbols, combine to make Zuni pottery
what we see today.
Pots may have a brown base and usually have black
or red rims. Encircling lines have breaks in the old-fashioned way. These
designs are so time-consuming that pots are usually fired in electric kilns
to avoid smoke clouds and other potential problems of outdoor firing. The
clay is tempered with crushed potsherds.
Verkamp’s
is proud to carry a wide selection of Zuni pottery pieces by artists such as
Anderson, Agnes and Priscilla Peynetsa, as well as Marcus Homer and other
fine Zuni potters. On these
pages you'll find an assortment of styles and price ranges. If you select
one of these items and it's already sold, we'll do our best to find a piece
that most closely suits your needs. Or, if these pieces aren't quite what
you're looking for,
contact us and we'll see what we can
find for you.
