Navajo Water Jug

ca. 1940

9" H x 5.5" D

Hand Coiled with a Deep Pitch Red Patina

In Very Good Condition

A Navajo water jug (often called a "pitch jug," "tus," or tóshjeeh in Navajo/Diné) is a traditional vessel historically used by the Navajo people to carry and store water in the arid Southwest.

The most classic and authentic traditional form is not pottery but a woven basket jug coated with pine pitch (from piñon pine trees). This waterproofs it, giving it a dark, glossy sheen while keeping it lightweight and durable for transport—often with handles or straps for carrying.