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Source Description
In the past, motifs painted on Zuni (A:shiwi) ceramics likely held symbolic meanings but, if so, they are largely lost to memory—or at least the Zuni do not discuss them today. Where known, they seem to concern water, verdant crops, and abundant wildlife, also the focus of much Pueblo religious life. For instance, the large, triangular, blade-like forms around this vessel’s neck may represent the thunder knife used in many ceremonies. The petaled forms in circular rosettes refer to sunflowers.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
109680
label
Water Jar (Olla) with Rosettes
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
109680
contentType
object
title
Water Jar (Olla) with Rosettes
description
In the past, motifs painted on Zuni (A:shiwi) ceramics likely held symbolic meanings but, if so, they are largely lost to memory—or at least the Zuni do not discuss them today. Where known, they seem to concern water, verdant crops, and abundant wildlife, also the focus of much Pueblo religious life. For instance, the large, triangular, blade-like forms around this vessel’s neck may represent the thunder knife used in many ceremonies. The petaled forms in circular rosettes refer to sunflowers.
date
1880s
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q60781014
genreSpecific
Ceramic
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 27.5 x 36 cm (10 13/16 x 14 3/16 in.)
cul
Native North America, Southwest, New Mexico, Zuni (A:shiwi) Pueblo
accession
1928.323
Source extras
tec
ceramic, slip
tombstone
Water Jar (Olla) with Rosettes, 1880s. Native North America, Southwest, New Mexico, Zuni (A:shiwi) Pueblo. Ceramic, slip; overall: 27.5 x 36 cm (10 13/16 x 14 3/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Educational Purchase Fund, 1928.323
collection
AA - Native North America
creditline
Educational Purchase Fund
updatedAt
2026-05-29 05:51:28.667000
sourceId
109680
dept
Art of the Americas
coll
AA - Native North America
med
ceramic, slip
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
ff3d8fe81b7165e0