TriArte - Olla (Water Jar)

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Bookmark: http://triarte.brynmawr.edu/objects-1/info/147832

Maria Martinez
Native American (1887 - 1980) Primary

Olla (Water Jar)

ca. 1923-1936

Black clay with burnished decoration

9 1/2 in. x 11 1/8 in. ( diameter) (24.13 cm x 28.26 cm)

Bryn Mawr College

Accession Number: 91.E1.15

Geography: North and Central America, United States, New Mexico, San Il Defonso Pueblo

Classification: Containers and Vessels; Vessels; Ollas

Culture/Nationality: Pueblo, San Ildefonso

Collection: Nahm Collection

One of four vessels by acclaimed potter Maria Martinez in the Bryn Mawr collection, this olla illustrates her most famous style: a burnished black-on-black matte with simple and repetitive figural and geometric designs. This particular vessel displays a horned serpent (avanyu) and an eagle feather design, both frequent motifs used by Martinez. Among Pueblo peoples, the avanyu is believed to be a water spirit, with the wavy body representing underworld waters and the tongue representing lightning.

Martinez, a traditional potter, entered the national spotlight when she created this style of black-on-black ware with her husband, Julian Martinez, and began to sign her vessels. Through her exhibition of traditional pottery techniques at national events, Pueblo pottery gained recognition as an important American art form.

Keywords Click a term to view the records with the same keyword

This object has the following keywords:

Animalia*, ollas*, San Ildefonso

Animalia - Kingdom containing multicellular organisms having cells bound by a plasma membrane and organized into tissue and specialized tissue systems that permit them to either move about in search of food or to draw food toward themselves. Unable to make their own food within themselves, as photosynthetic plants do, they rely on consuming preformed food. They possess a nervous system with sensory and motor nerves, enabling them to receive environmental stimuli and to respond with specialized movements.
ollas - Large, bulbous, usually wide-mouthed earthenware or woven vessels used for holding water or food or for cooking; may have handles.
San Ildefonso

Exhibition List

This object was included in the following exhibitions:

Worlds to Discover: 125 Years of Collections at Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr College , 9/24/2010 - 5/28/2011

Bibliography List

The following Bibliography exist for this object:

Marianne Hansen and Emily Croll. Worlds to Discover. Bryn Mawr College. Bryn Mawr, PA, 2010
Page Number: 35

Portfolio List Click a portfolio name to view all the objects in that portfolio

This object is a member of the following portfolios:

Featured Native American Pottery

If you would like to cite this object in a Wikipedia article please use the following template:

<ref name=BMC>cite web |url=http://triarte.brynmawr.edu/objects-1/info/147832 |title=Olla (Water Jar) |author=Bryn Mawr College Library Special Collections |accessdate=4/10/2021 |publisher=Bryn Mawr College</ref>

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