Mojave Yuman Female Ceramic Doll - SOLD

ca. 1910

Size 10.25" H x 3" W x 2.25" D

Hand painted ochre with body and facial tattoos with blue and white bead necklace and drop earrings, 

long black horse hair, red and black loin cloth painted with polka dots of brown paint with attached feathers and a red headband

In Good Condition with light wear as pictured

Mojave Yuman female ceramic dolls are traditional pottery figurines crafted by the Mojave, a Yuman-speaking tribe from the Colorado River region, primarily in Arizona, California, and Nevada. These dolls, often made in the early 20th century, were typically created by Mojave women for trade or sale to tourists, especially after the railroad's arrival in 1883. They are made from sedimentary clay mixed with crushed sandstone, coiled, dried, painted with geometric designs or traditional tattoo patterns, and fired in open pits or simple kilns.

Mojave women with detailed features like long horsehair, beaded necklaces, earrings, and traditional clothing such as plaid or floral skirts, yarn belts, or beaded capes. Facial and body markings often mimic the Mojave practice of tattooing with lines and dots. Some dolls hold pots, reflecting the tribe’s pottery-making tradition. They are fragile due to the unfired or low-fired clay, making well-preserved examples rare and valued by collectors.