This is an unusual and intricately carved jar by Thomas Polacca.  Thomas was a son of noted potter Fannie Nampeyo and a grandson of Nampeyo of Hano.  He is considered among the first men to begin making pottery at Hopi in the 1970s.  Interestingly, the men initially did not use the traditional Sikyatki designs but followed other directions in their pottery.  This jar is deeply carved and when looking down, it is a Crow Mother Katsina.  Take a look at the last photo of a Crow Mother Katsina, it is easier to see the double triangular design and the feathers off to the side of the face.  The Crow Mother Katsina is called Angwusnasomtaka in Hopi.  She appears during the Powamu (Bean Dance) ceremony in February to supervise the initiation of young boys into the Katsina rituals.

On this piece, it is fully carved. The feathers extend outward and there is a carved “necklace” below the face.  The sides have a geometric shawl pattern. Around the top of the jar, there is a single inlaid band of hei-shi beads.  The jar is a creative use of design and shape!  Areas below the shoulder are slipped to look like wood.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.  The piece is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Tom Polacca”.