Sahmie Nampeyo, Rachel – Water Jar with Migration Pattern

4.5"tall x 3.75"w

$ 525.00

Rachel Sahmie is a daughter of noted potter Priscilla Nampeyo and a descendant of Nampeyo of Hano.  She is a sister of noted potters Jean Sahmie and Bonnie Sahmie.  This is a classic Hopi-Tewa water jar.  The body of the jar is painted with bee-weed (black) and red clay slip. The design is a classic migration pattern with thinly painted lines.  The design consists of bird wings with seven above and seven below the shoulder. It was traditionally fired so there are blushes on the surface.  The jar is signed with her “RS” hallmark on the bottom.

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. It has seven points at the top and bottom. 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