Curious about other objects in the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History? Well you’re in luck! Soon you will be able to search our collections databases at the museum’s website. Prototypes of our databases are currently being posted with more updates and collections soon to come. There are still a few kinks to work out but I think you’ll love what you see. Check out the Ethnology Department’s collection today.
Object: Bowl
Published May 18, 2009 New Mexico , North America , Santa Clara Pueblo , ceramic , container Leave a CommentNAM-15-31-087
New Mexico
Santa Clara Pueblo
20th century
Materials: ceramic
Santa Clara Pueblo is one of many so-called “Pueblo” tribes from the southwest. The Spanish first encountered this group of tribes in the 16th century, living in villages that the Spanish called pueblos, meaning “villages.” While these tribes may have seemed similar to early Spanish explorers there are many differences in language, religious beliefs, and social structure that make each pueblo unique.
This bowl is a typical example of Santa Clara Pueblo pottery. Pottery from this tribe is similar to that made by the San Ildefonso Pueblo but tends to have thicker walls and deeply carved designs. Both tribes are known for their black-on-black style of pottery that was popularized by the famous San Ildefonso potter, Maria Martinez.
This particular bowl is interesting because it has a signature on the bottom, which reads “Rosalie and Joe.” It seems likely that this signature indicates that Rosalie and Joe Aguilar made this bowl. Rosalie was a prolific potter during her lifetime. She was a friend and neighbor of Rose Gonzales and during the early 1930s she and Rose were among the first to carve pottery. Rosalie’s deep carved black ware in the form of jars and bowls were carved in the ‘cameo style.’ The clay was carefully carved away allowing her designs to stand out in relief. She then rounded the edges by sanding. Joe was the son of Susana Martinez Aguilar, and the husband of Rosalie Simbola Aguilar. Joe was an excellent painter and painted pots formed by his mother Susana and his wife Rosalie.
An example of another bowl made by Rosalie and Joe Aguilar can be found in the Wichita State University, Lowell D. Holmes Museum of Anthropology. There are also several examples of their signature available on the internet. However, when examining the signature closely I noticed that the “J” in Joe’s signature is written differently than on the online examples. 
Can you help? Do you know if the signatures on this piece are really those of Rosalie and Joe Aguilar? If you can help SNOMNH identify this item, let us know what you know via a comment to this weblog or via email to dcswan@ou.edu. [Kate Barr]
For more information on Santa Clara pottery see:
Santa Clara Pottery Today by Betty LeFree
or
Santa Clara Pottery by Museum of the Plains Indian and Crafts Center
C/1957/2/5, C/1957/3/11 & C/1957/3/12
Rhine River
Roman
Unknown date
Materials: ceramic
This group of three objects shows a type of ceramic vessel often known as a “feeder” or “feeding” bottle. This type of vessel can be found in a variety of materials throughout the ancient world, but is most commonly made of either ceramic or glass. While there is some question as to their use, typically this style of vessel is believed to be an ancient baby bottle.
The vessels could be filled with a type of gruel, porridge, milk, or other liquid, which would be fed to the child out of the small spout near the center of the vessel. Unlike modern baby bottles, these ancient versions were probably not given to the child to feed themselves but rather were held and poured by an adult.
All three of these “feeding” bottles in the collection of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History are believed to have been excavated from along the Rhine River during the 1880’s-1890’s. [Kate Barr]
Other examples of “feeding” bottles can be found at: The British Museum, the Museum of London, and the Ackland Art Museum.
For more information on Roman pottery, see:
Rhenish wares : fine dark coloured pottery from Gaul and Germany by R P Symond
Types of Roman coarse pottery vessels in northern Britain by J P Gilla
Roman pottery research in Britain and North-West Europe : papers presented to Graham Webster by A C Anderson & Alastair Scott Anderson
C/1955/8/1
Unknown location
Roman
Materials: marble, metal
This object is a Roman cinerary urn made of marble. A cinerary urn is a type of container used to contain the cremated remains of an individual. In various times throughout Classical history cremation was the preferred method of burial. Cinerary urns could be made of a variety of materials, from terracotta to stone. Early cinerary urns from Greece were often in the form or large pottery jars. In Italy these urns tended to be rectangular in shape, and early examples were made to resemble houses. It is thought that these funerary containers were meant to be the “houses” for the dead. During Roman times these urns would be displayed in wall niches in a tomb or columbarium. Because of how the urns were displayed, the backs of the urns (like the one at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History) are undecorated.
This urn shows the figures of several Greco-Roman deities on the front. Starting from the left the first figure is probably Calliope, and is identified by her lyre. The second figure is easily recognizable as Mercury with his winged hat and caduceus. The third figure is Diana, shown with her signature bow and arrow. The final figure is Hercules, shown leaning on his club.
Front
The right side has some damage and was repaired in antiquity with metal, which can be seen from the top.
Right side
It is believed that the image on the left side of the cinerary urn shows a sacrifice of a sheep, or lamb. [Kate Barr]
Left side
A few other examples of cinerary urns can be found at:
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The Australian National University Museum
The Britsh Museum
AS-04-22-008
China
Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644
Materials: Jade, semi-precious stones, wood
This object is an oval shaped jade tea screen inlaid with brightly colored stones to form decorative patterns. The jade is a light green and the stones range from red, green, black, orange, pink, and purple. The design is of rocks, a tree and a bird. There is also a wooden frame that fits around the edge.
The purpose of the screen, like many jade objects, is a decorative one. Of course, the screen itself had a use; it was placed upon the table to prevent drafts to the lamp stand of the tea kettle. This is a very fine piece however, in that it was made of jade and decorated. Jade was a highly sought after material because of its status symbols, and it was also believed to bring health and good luck to the owner, so its use here might have been to cleanse the tea.
For more information on jade, read The Collector’s Book of Jade by Arthur and Grace Chu and Jade-Essence of Hills and Streams by S. Howard Hansford.
More information about Chinese tea ceremonies can be found here.
[Victoria Counts].
AS-04-23-061
China
Ch’ing Dynasty, 1662-1722
Materials: Agate or Jade
This beautifully carved stone vase is a somewhat large example of the art of carving jade flowers in China. It is made of a single stone varying in color from pink to amber, and the duality of the colors was captured as a light flower surrounded by darker vines. The stone was polished and shines in the light. The exact material is unknown but could also have been agate, which is a similar hard stone also used to carve decorations.
Jade has widely been a popular stone to work with in China for many hundreds of years. It was believed to be the stone from heaven because it came from high in the mountains. The typical image of jade is the deep green but it can actually come in a variety of colors such as white, blue, red, brown, yellow, grey and black. A single piece of stone may contain a range of colors. Typically a desired piece of jewelry will be one color and have no cracks or flaws, so most stones are difficult to use for this purpose. A master carver however, can use the flaws to shape a floral design by getting rid of cracks as part of the design and, even more impressive, use the color variations to enhance the life-like qualities of their design. This type of jade carving has long been popular in China and saw great advancements during the Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644.
For more information, read The Collector’s Book of Jade by Arthur and Grace Chu and Jade-Essence of Hills and Streams by S. Howard Hansford [Victoria Counts].
Object: Rug on loom
Published September 30, 2008 Arizona , Navajo , North America , Textile Leave a CommentE/1981/6/1
United States, Arizona
Navajo
1930’s
Materials: wool, wood
This partially complete weaving was made on an unknown Arizona reservation as a demonstration piece and was later donated to the museum. It is very likely that the Navajo learned to weave from neighboring Pueblo groups no later than the seventeenth century, though Navajo legends tell of how weaving was first taught to them by Spider Woman. Since then, they have become well known as masters of the craft and their pieces are still highly valued. Nearly all Navajo weavers are women, while men traditionally make the loom and tools.
Because this particular rug is only half-complete, it is easy to see many of the characteristics that distinguish Navajo weavings. All the yarn is handspun wool, as opposed to commercially made or cotton yarn. Germantown style rugs were woven with commercial yarn and occasionally cotton warp (the lengthwise threads), but this in an exception. This piece also has two shades of carded gray, made by blending white and black wool together. While some Navajo rugs, especially those in the “eye dazzler” style, incorporate several bright colors, most have a natural palette with one accent color, usually red. The Navajo maintain strong, straight edges by weaving in a selvage cord as they go, which is often of a contrasting color. Here, a two-ply black yarn is used for that purpose. The top and bottom edges of Navajo weavings are also flat and smooth, rather than fringed. This is due to the warp thread being set up on the loom in a continuous figure eight, eliminating loose ends and allowing the entire warp area to be filled.
A traditional element of Navajo weaving not present in this piece is a spirit line, though it is typically made just before the piece is finished. According to legend, when Spider Woman walked away from the tree where the gift of weaving came to her, she left a line behind her, a line that lead to new things. When Spider Woman shared her gift with the Navajo, she taught them to leave a line that ran out of the pattern and to the edge of the blanket. This was the line that she had left behind her, and it allowed the weaver’s mind to be released from the finished piece and move on to new things [Holly Thompson].
E/1989/2/1
Guatemala
Ixil Maya
1980’s
Materials: cotton thread
This shawl, known as a rebozo in Spanish or as a tzute, is part of the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History’s extensive Mayan textile collection. John Pitzer collected this shawl, along with many other pieces of Mayan textiles in the collection, on the behalf of the museum during his many trips to Central America. This collection was the subject of the museum’s first online exhibit, which can be viewed here.
Tzutes serve a wide a wide variety of purposes among the Maya. For example, they may be used for warmth or shade, as a basket covering, or to carry goods home from market. Others are ceremonial. Both men and women wear tzutes, although the size, color, and design are gender-specific. Traditional Mayan textiles are woven on either a backstrap or treadle loom. Backstrap looms are simple and portable. One end of the loom is tied to a post, and the other is secured to the weaver’s waist with a strap. The width of the fabric is limited, but the weaver can create detailed brocade designs. Conversely, large, foot-powered treadle looms create simpler designs and wider fabric. Backstrap looms are used almost exclusively by women and treadle looms by men, though they may weave clothing for the opposite sex. This is a woman’s shawl and was likely made on a backstrap loom.
Each piece of traditional clothing worn by a Mayan individual communicates something about his or her social status. Groups within the Maya each have their own particular style as well. The thin vertical stripes on this piece are a common feature of the shawls and sash belts of the Ixil Maya in the town of Nebaj, Guatemala. This simple design contrasts with the intricate geometric patterns on their huipiles, or blouses. While many Maya still wear traditional clothing, western clothing is becoming more popular, often resulting in blended outfits of both traditional and western pieces. This tzute is also a blended garment: the fabric is traditionally woven, while the design is machine stitched rather than brocaded [Holly Thompson].
More information on modern Mayan textiles click here.
E/1975/1/20
Nepal
Unknown date
Materials: Metal, wood, leather.
The Khukuri, pronounced koo-kri, is an ancient weapon employed by the Nepalese Ghurka soldiers and is now a commonly used household tool in Nepal. It is unknown exactly where or when it originated, but some experts attribute the craftsmanship of the khukuri to the ancient Greek sword the kopis, as well as the Japanese sword.
Khukuri knives are considered an exceptional piece of Nepalese craftsmanship. They are usually hand-made and very detailed, taking at least one entire day to produce. All supplies included in the process are carefully chosen to ensure the finest quality. The heated steel is first hammered and beaten repeatedly to form the blade. The steel is then cooled and tempered to enhance strength. Once this is done, the blade is sharpened and shined. A machine is only used during the shining stage. The handle is made from buffalo horn and the sheath, or scabbard, is made of wood and covered with leather. The scabbard has two pockets on the back which hold a piece of steel called a chakmak for sharpening the knife. There is a notch near the handle of the Khukuri that serves as a channel to drain blood, or other liquids, out of the sheath and also keep the handle from becoming slippery.
This knifes significance lies among the brave and loyal Ghurka soldiers who derive their name from the 8th century warrior-saint of Gguru-Goraknath. The Ghurka soldiers have carried the Khurkuri knife into battle for many years and it has become a traditional weapon in battle. They served for more than 185 years for the East India Company, (British army), and received a plethora of military honors. With that said, the Khukuri knife is symbolic of the bravery and strength of the Ghurka soldiers. Other Khukuri knives can be viewed at the National Museum of Kathmandu [Chenoa Copeland].
E/1957/21/21
India
1950’s
Materials: Ceramic, metal, paint
These tiny, yet beautiful figurines, standing merely 2 inches tall, were made to be purchased by Ganges pilgrims at Benares, India as token of having made the journey. Each of the figurines were hand-painted with a great deal of detail and most of the figures can be identified as specific Hindu deities.
These figurines represent many important deities of the Hindu religion. They include Parsam Ram (an incarnation of Vishnu), Saraswati, Krishna, Sita, Rama (an incarnation of Vishnu), an unidentified female figure, Kunti, Vishnu, Radha, Hannuman, and Rishi (the figures are shown from left to right, in this order, in the photograph below).
While the pantheon of Hindu deities is quite extensive, most of these characters are mentioned in the more famous ancient epics of India: the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, and are fundamental to Hindu belief. These epics are long heroic tales originally written in Sanskrit. Of the figurines held by the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, Rama, Sita (Rama’s consort), and Hanuman are extremely important characters in the Ramayana epic. In this legend, Hanuman is a monkey who discovers he has special powers given to him by the gods. He and Sita assist Rama in his heroic battle against Ravana and his plot to conquer the heavens.
Of the many Hindu deities, there are three that are commonly grouped as the primary trinity of Hinduism. These are Vishnu (the protector), Brahma (the creator), and Siva (the destroyer). These three deities are believed to create a balance in the universe. In the group of figurines held at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, Vishnu is depicted three times (he is the first, fifth, and eighth figure shown below) [Chenoa Copeland].
