Vintage hand painted American Native Indian Acoma pottery wedding vase

18cm x 13cm, minor wear due to matte nature of pottery but overall in good condition. Comes with tradition words about the history and custom of the wedding vase.

This wedding vase dates to the 1960s-1970s, signed Acoma N.M. R ( for Rita Malie) on the underside. Was purchased directly from the Palms Trading Company that represents Native American artists and goods.

In Southwestern New Mexico, nestled atop a high sandstone mesa overlooking vast arroyos and valleys, is the oldest inhabited community in North America — the Acoma Pueblo, also known as “sky city”. Located approximately one hour west of Albuquerque, NM, this is where the Acoma people have lived for centuries, producing an inspiring wealth of culture and art. The Acoma are Keres people, part of a cluster of Native American Indian groups who speak dialects of Keresan and are located in the Mogollan mountain region of New Mexico.

The Acoma pueblo is best known for their unique pottery style and method, utilizing techniques which have been in practice since the Acoma establishment in 1150 A.D (when the Aztec civilization was established around this time in Mexico, Southwestern Native American art was already at its peak). Perhaps their finest export, Acoma pottery is emblematic of the lifestyle of people who make it. It typically features thin walls, fluted rims, hand painted animal motifs, geometric patterns usually rendered in stark black and white, or muted warm colors, and is unglazed — stylistic elements which collectively make Acoma pottery easily recognizable. Like most traditional pottery, the Acoma people created these objects with functionality in mind, using them for storage, drinking, eating, and other ceremonial purposes.

The Acoma pueblo is best known for their unique pottery style and method, utilizing techniques which have been in practice since the Acoma establishment in 1150 A.D (when the Aztec civilization was established around this time in Mexico, Southwestern Native American art was already at its peak). (5) Perhaps their finest export, Acoma pottery is emblematic of the lifestyle of people who make it. It typically features thin walls, fluted rims, hand painted animal motifs, geometric patterns usually rendered in stark black and white, or muted warm colors, and is unglazed — stylistic elements which collectively make Acoma pottery easily recognizable. Like most traditional pottery, the Acoma people created these objects with functionality in mind, using them for storage, drinking, eating, and other ceremonial purposes.