Santa Clara Pueblo Pottery By Arles Evelyn

5.75" H x 7" D

Blackware with Deep Carved Water Serpent

From a Private Colorado Collection

Excellent Condition

Santa Clara Pueblo, located in northern New Mexico along the Rio Grande, is renowned for its centuries-old tradition of handcrafted pottery, particularly blackware and redware. This Tewa-speaking community has produced pottery for over 300 years, initially for practical uses like storage, cooking, and water vessels. By the late 1800s, potters began creating pieces for tourists, incorporating distinctive designs such as bear paw imprints pressed into wet clay—a technique unique to Santa Clara. The pottery is made from local clay, coil-built by hand, polished with stones for a glossy finish, and fired in outdoor pits, often using dung or wood for a smothered fire that yields the iconic black color.