Adelle Nampeyo is known for her stylistic use of traditional Hopi designs.  This jar has a round shoulder.  From the shoulder to the rim is the classic migration pattern.  Here the upper wings are painted with thin lines.  There are eight around the top of the bowl.  Extending downwards are bird tails.  The lines are delicately painted with bee-weed (black). There is an additional red clay slip as part of the design. The migration design is a classic Hopi-Tewa pattern revived by Nampeyo of Hano and tells the story of the migration of the people around the world.  The jar is traditionally fired to create coloration on the surface of the jar.  It is signed on the bottom, “Adelle Nampeyo”.

Dextra Quotskuyva Nampeyo said of  the migration pattern:

“This is the one design that was really stressed for us to use, the migration pattern. Nothing but lines, representing the migration of all the people to all the places, including down below and up above. All the x’s represent life from the bottom and top, telling you the universe is one. The thin lines, I just wanted to paint them real fast and real close to try and include everyone.”  Dextra Quotskuyva Nampeyo, Spoken Through Clay