Uses for Pueblo Pottery
According to anthropologist Ruth Bunzel, Pueblo peoples have been creating pottery for at least 2,000 years. Making pottery became a popular practice after these people began building permanent villages. Many styles of pottery developed, and each pueblo has its own distinctive style.
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Practical Purposes
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Clay pots traditionally are used for a number of practical purposes. Pueblo people would use them for carrying water and preparing, serving and storing food. According to the Southwest Crossroads website, Pueblo potters began creating clay bowls for preparing dough after the Spaniards popularized bread.
Gifts
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In Acoma and other pueblos, pots are sometimes given as gifts. Someone might give a pot to a person from another pueblo as a gift of friendship. Pueblo pottery is traditionally given as wedding gifts as well. Through the process of gift-giving over the years, Pueblo potters learned from each other and developed some similarities in styles.
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Burial Ceremonies
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Pottery often was buried with people during funeral ceremonies. However, after the arrival of the Spaniards, this practice happened less frequently because the Spaniards forbade it. Much of the ancient pottery archaeologists have discovered has been preserved through burial.
Symbolism
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Pueblo pots contain much symbolism. Artists paint symbols on them that reflect the history, needs and spirituality of the people. These include symbols of animals, the land, people, the weather and other aspects of life. The pottery can remind people of their interdependence with the land, as it usually is made from clay found locally. It also reminds people of their connection with the past, since Pueblo pottery often contains ground shards of broken pots.
Decorative Purposes
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Today, many people collect Pueblo pottery, using it for decoration. Pueblo people continue to produce pottery in traditional styles, and many people who visit the pueblos bring home a piece of pottery for its its beautiful, often intricate, designs and for the history behind it.
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