This is a large round fully carved jar by Daniel Begay. The shape is round with straight sides, creating a lot of volume of carved design work. The jar has four turtles, waterfalls, and cloud designs.  There is a graceful flow of imagery from one section to the next.  The rim and the base are fully polished.  The carved areas are highly polished and a strong contrast to the matte surfaces. The piece was traditionally fired to a glassy black.  The carving is very deep with clean channels separating the designs. The matte is smooth and perfectly sanded to create the best visual contrast.  This certainly adds to the sophistication of his carving and designs. Note how Daniel’s designs also combine both thin and thicker lines to enhance the imagery.  The style of carving has a beveled appearance to the angle of the cuts into the clay.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Daniel Begay”.