Jar

Completed Pot Fired for Black
Pottery Making Series [9 of 9]
Black-on-black polished ware
Santa Clara Pueblo
c 1940
By Legoria Tafoya
For a traditional Santa Clara pot, firing is done outdoors, usually using dried cow dung for fuel. The pottery starts out red. To make it come out black, the potter smothers the fire entirely in dried, powdered horse manure to create a reducing atmosphere, which changes the red clay to the renowned black finish.
Ceramic. H 11.5, D 17.3 cm [H 4 ½, D 6 ¾ inches]
Bandelier National Monument, BAND 692



Completed Pot Fired for Black Pottery Making Series [9 of 9] Black-on-black polished ware Santa Clara Pueblo c 1940 By Legoria Tafoya For a traditional Santa Clara pot, firing is done outdoors, usually using dried cow dung for fuel. The pottery starts out red. To make it come out black, the potter smothers the fire entirely in dried, powdered horse manure to create a reducing atmosphere, which changes the red clay to the renowned black finish. Ceramic. H 11.5, D 17.3 cm [H 4 ½, D 6 ¾ inches] Bandelier National Monument, BAND 692
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