This is a striking jar by Ida Sahmie.  The piece has a round body and a short neck.  The body of the jar is fully polished the natural color of the clay.  There are four Yei figures painted onto the clay.   “Yei” (pronounced “yay”) is the Navajo name for the benevolent supernatural beings who bring their healing power to medicinal ceremonies still performed today.  Each has incised areas (head, arms) and painted sections.  The black is bee-weed and the red and white are additional clay slips.   Separating the Yei figures are corn plants.  Note how each has a different color of corn (white, red, yellow, black) representing the four directions.  The jar was traditionally fired outdoors.  It is signed on the bottom, “Ida Sahmie”.   Ida is the only Navajo potter creating this unique style of ethnographic pottery that captures the stories and world of Dine symbolism.