Hopi Kachina Black Face Doll

4.75" H Including Feathers x 1.375" W x .25" Deep on a 2.125" x 1.875" D Base

Black Face with White Paint Detailing with Tan String Wrapped Legs, Mother of Pearl Bead and Feathers

Excellent Condition

The color black in kachina iconography often symbolizes the Nadir (underworld or south direction), representing depth, mystery, or warrior-like qualities, contrasting with multicolored elements that signify the Zenith (heaven). Black faces thus appear on specific kachinas tied to themes of protection, discipline, or the earth's depths. While kachina carving dates back centuries (with the oldest known figures from the 1700s), modern styles evolved post-1934 with renewed religious freedoms, shifting from stiff, flat-bodied forms (putstihu taywa’yla for toddlers) to detailed, full-bodied sculptures (tithu). Today, they are collectible art, but authentic pieces must be hand-carved by Hopi or related Pueblo artists (e.g., Zuni) using traditional methods—no mass-produced imports.