Like many of the other styles, Navajo pottery contains intricate designs and patterns throughout the piece. What sets the Navajo pottery apart is that the designs are usually scratched into the surface of the clay, rather than painted on. Navajo pottery often contains more colors than Acoma or Mata Ortiz pieces.
Unlike other southwest tribes the Navajo do not use old shards as temper in their new pots. The Navajo believe these ancient shards belong to their ancestors and should remain in the earth where they have rested for many years. It is also against traditional Navajo rules to use sacred symbols in the design of their pottery and other arts. These beliefs create a self-imposed limit to the use of ancient Navajo symbols in the pottery they create.
Navajo Pottery
Navajo Pottery
Like many of the other styles, Navajo pottery contains intricate designs and patterns throughout the piece. What sets the Navajo pottery apart is that the designs are usually scratched into the surface of the clay, rather than painted on. Navajo pottery often contains more colors than Acoma or Mata Ortiz pieces.
Unlike other southwest tribes the Navajo do not use old shards as temper in their new pots. The Navajo believe these ancient shards belong to their ancestors and should remain in the earth where they have rested for many years. It is also against traditional Navajo rules to use sacred symbols in the design of their pottery and other arts. These beliefs create a self-imposed limit to the use of ancient Navajo symbols in the pottery they create.
Other Pottery Styles:
Acoma Pottery
Horse Hair Pottery
Mata Ortiz Pottery
Raku Pottery