Spirits of Earth and Fire: Pueblo Pottery from The Hilbert Collection

The history of Indigenous American Pueblo pottery stretches back over a thousand years, rooted in the enduring traditions of the Ancestral Puebloans—sometimes referred to as the Anasazi—who lived across the Southwest in what is now New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah. These early potters developed sophisticated techniques for shaping and firing clay vessels using hand-coiling methods, without the use of a potter’s wheel. While many early pieces served utilitarian purposes such as storing food and water, they often featured complex painted designs and surface treatments that carried spiritual and cultural significance.

Over time, the distinct pueblos—such as Hopi, Zuni, Acoma and Santa Clara—each developed their own characteristic styles, materials and decorative motifs. Acoma pottery is renowned for its eggshell-thin walls and bold geometric designs, while Santa Clara and San Ildefonso potters are famed for their polished blackware, created using a traditional reduction firing process that turns red clay a lustrous black. Hopi pottery frequently features symbolic imagery drawn from nature and the spirit world, including stylized birds, rainclouds and fertility symbols. Each community’s pottery tradition is a reflection of deep-rooted cultural values and teachings, passed down through generations, often within families of highly skilled women potters.