Russell Sanchez continues to be one of the true innovators in Pueblo pottery.  Each piece is perfectly coil-built, stone-polished, and etched.  This is one of his only black terraced or “corn meal” boxes.  They are called this because of the shape with the terrace edge (representing mountains) and an open interior.  In historic vessels, this shape would have been used to store corn meal.  The shape is a difficult one to make with the square side which are more likely to crack in drying and firing.  The tall side is the “front” of the box.  It depicts old-style San Ildefonso water serpents (avanyu). Above them are clouds and mountains. Below them is a continuous band of square checkerboard designs that are bordered by inset fine hematite hei-shi. The back of the box is etched with a sun design, with feathers radiating outward, representing rays of light.  Note how the avanyu are designed so that they are not just on the side, but also the back of the box.  The side panels are slipped with mica and have the avanyu tails and more mountains.  The inside of the box is slipped with mica. The was traditionally fired to a silvery, gunmetal black!  Russell is one of the only potters able to achieve this high firing and coloration today.  The gunmetal firing and the hematite hei-shi beads are exceptional together!  Russell continues to innovate from historic shapes and designs, he says, “Tradition means moving forward and adding to it. You keep moving forward.  If we stayed stagnant, we would no longer exist.”  The box is signed on the bottom, “Russell”.