Nampeyo of Hano

Nampeyo of Hano (c. 1857–1942), also known as "Old Lady Nampeyo," was a renowned Hopi-Tewa potter from Hano (Tewa Village) on First Mesa in northeastern Arizona. She is widely regarded as one of the most influential Native American ceramic artists of the 20th century and a central figure in the Sikyátki Revival. 

Nampeyo was born into a Hopi-Tewa family (Tewa ancestors had migrated to Hopi lands after the Pueblo Revolt). She learned basic pottery-making from her mother and grandmother but gained fame by reviving and innovating upon ancient Hopi pottery traditions. In the 1890s, she was inspired by sherds and vessels excavated from the abandoned 14th–16th century Hopi village of Sikyátki (on First Mesa). With her husband Lesou, she studied these prehistoric pieces, replicating their fine yellow-firing clay, smooth finishes (avoiding the earlier crackle ware), symmetrical forms, and bold geometric/polychrome designs. 

Her work, sometimes called Hano Polychrome, helped revitalize a declining Hopi pottery tradition and became highly sought after by collectors, traders, and museums. Nampeyo continued forming pots even after losing much of her eyesight around 1920, with family members (including daughters like Annie Healing Nampeyo and Fannie Nampeyo) often assisting with painting. Her descendants carried on the tradition, making the Nampeyo family one of the most prominent in Hopi pottery.