ClayHound Web

Traditional Pottery of North America

	- Nations, Tribes, Pueblos and Mexican -
	Pueblos		Desert		Woodland
	1	Taos		Southwest		Mississippi
	2	Picuris	1	Mojave	1	Chickasaw
	3	San Juan	2	Kumeyaay	2	Choctaw
	4	Santa Clara	3	Tohono O'Odham	3	Coushatta
	5	San Ildefonso	4	Pima	4	Osage
	6	Nambe	5	Maricopa		Southeast
	7	Pojoaque	6	Navajo	5	Catawba
	8	Tesuque	7	Jicarilla Apache	6	Cherokee
	9	Cochiti		Mexico	7	Haliwa-Saponi
	10	Santo Domingo	8	Mata Ortiz	8	Pamunkey
	11	San Felipe	9	Tarahumara	9	Rappahannock
	12	Santa Ana	10	Oaxaca	10	Upper Mattaponi
	13	Zia			11	Mattaponi
	14	Jemez				Northeast
	15	Sandia	Specialties		12	Iroquois
	16	Isleta		Bird Effigies	13	Wampanoag
	17	Laguna		Owl Effigies
	18	Acoma		Animal Effigies	Pre-Columbian
	19	Zuni		Canteens	Caddo
	20	Hopi		Wedding Vases	Mississippian
	21	Ysleta del Sur		Sisters
	...from Tim & Monique's collection

In our search to obtain a collection of traditional Native American pottery from every one of the 21 Southwest Pueblos, we discovered beautiful examples of Indian pottery from all over North America. The above represents our findings. Most of the sites are active, while others are only occasionally active. These sites can be located on the associated pottery maps page.

While gathering the fabulous Pueblo pottery and other pottery of the Southwest desert, Eastern pottery - with its wonderful forms - was a surprise to us. Except in a few cases, these pieces are harder to find. But most of our Eastern pottery was located by searching the Internet for contacts, as well as from the Ebay auction site. We would like to encourage other collectors of traditional pottery to pursue more representatives from the historical Woodland areas - you will discover some magnificently talented potters.

And while you're at it, pick up some reference material regarding the early Mississippian and other Eastern pottery. The forms and effigies will astonish those who first see them; and the artistic skill will give the reader a new respect for the skills of the early pre-Columbian people who settled throughout the Continent. You'll also discover that much of what you might think as "contemporary" Native American pottery is not so contemporary after all. Ancient styles and forms continue to influence today's designs.

Those of us who have been attracted to the native art of traditional pottery in North America understand each other. We are surrounded by "non-collectors" who rarely comprehend our appreciation - among whom, we carry our hobby like a hidden addiction. When we attempt to share the excitement of a new acquisition with our non-collecting friends, we mostly receive blank stares or polite responses. Some are genuinely struck by the skill and beauty of a piece, but still can't join our deeper passion. So we remain self-contented in our joy.

But we are proud of the beauty (and moved by the historical aspects) of our collections and wish to share them as best we can. So to you, we present our modest collection.

By doing so, we hope to encourage others to become spectrum collectors by expanding their interest into all places of North American traditional pottery - so that none of it dies out due to lack of interest. There are far too many locations where the tradition is fading or almost gone. We have to remember that we aren't just collecting, we're also helping to preserve the historic talents of traditional potters.

If you are aware of other active sites, please let us know. We found out about several places this way. And let's see your collections! We know that there are some huge ones out there, or even small ones that you're proud of. I don't know about you, but we never get tired of admiring different pieces of traditional pottery.

We hope that you enjoy the fruits of our quest. And remember, it only takes three pieces to make a collection...