This is an unusual jar by Margaret Tafoya.  The jar was made in the 1930s. It is coil-built and fully polished. The piece has a “storage jar” shape.  What is unusual is both that it is painted as well as the design. The jar was painted black-on-black before it was fired.  Typical of Margaret’s painted designs, it is painted with thick, bold lines.  What is unusual about the design is the avanyu.  It has an almost modernist style to the head of the avanyu, as well, the tail is over the head, as opposed to the more classic version with the head over the tail.  The painting of the design is fluid and dramatic as the jar is turned, showing off both the shape and the polishing.  It’s exciting to come across such creative pieces of her early pottery!  It is signed on the bottom, “Margaret Tafoya” (it is a bit hard to see in the photos).  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.  Definitely a piece of Pueblo history in clay!