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Description

Hand coiled red clay pottery owl. Details are hand painted in brown and red on a beige slipped and polished background, base is unpainted. Thick net-like feather pattern covers most of body. Upper side of wings and tail are striped, bottoms are spotted. Pointed conical ears are tipped in brown. Similar eyes are less pointed and fringed with eyelashes. Hooked top beak joins bottom lip. Stripes decorate top of head.

Narrative

Pottery owls became important tourist items when the railroad and then Route 66 allowed for large numbers of tourists to travel to the Southwest. This collection of 192 Zuni pottery owls includes examples from before 1900 through 2006. Zuni potters continue to make owls and family traditions in the medium continue. While many younger potters are innovating, the owls are distinctly Zuni.

Iconographic Meaning

In traditional Zuni lore, the owl is considered a wise guardian and protector. An owl’s ability to see at night means that it sees what others cannot, giving it understanding of the spiritual and physical world.

Item History

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