In the 1950’s Maria Martinez created a series of pieces which were simply stone polished with no design.  As she primarily made the pottery and polished it this was fitting with the other pieces of her career.  This jar is striking in both shape and polish.  It has a wide shoulder with a sharp ridge and a short neck.  It is a form which is readily recognizable as her style.  The jar is fully polished and fired to a gunmetal appearance. The jar was probably fired by her son, Popovi, as the gunmetal encompasses nearly the entire surface.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay,  “Maria Poveka”.  This is a combination of her Anglo and Tewa names.  Her name, “Poveka” means “Water Lilly”.  The jar is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

https://kinggalleries.com/maria-martinez-signatures/