Object: Jar

E/1968/6/11
Jar
Raramuri (Tarahumara)
Mexico: Sierra Madre Occidental or Copper Canyon
Date unknown
Materials: Ceramic & slip

This water storage jar was made by the Raramuri (Tarahumara) people of northwestern Mexico. The name Raramuri means “foot-runner” or “he who walks well” and this tribal group is renowned for their long distance running and hiking abilities. The Raramuri came to live in the remote canyons and mountains of the Sierra Madre Occidental after encountering Spanish settlers in their previous homelands in the Chihuahua region of Mexico during the 16th-18th centuries. Their first contact with the Spaniards was with the Jesuit missionaries around 1607. In addition to religion, the missionaries also brought new agricultural techniques such as irrigation, the plow and the axe to the Raramuri. During the 17th century silver was discovered on Raramuri lands and much of their territory was confiscated and many of the Raramuri were captured to serve as forced laborers in the mines. This caused the tribe to move deeper into the mountainous areas of the Sierra Madre Occidental, where they made an effort to avoid further outside contact. The Raramuri are primarily farmers specialized in raising corn, goats, cattle, beans, potatoes, and apples but are also expert hunters. In modern times they have also begun selling their pottery, drums and baskets in the tourist trade.

The following video shows how the Raramuri live today.

© Arizona State Museum

Pottery has been used by the Raramuri for many years as everyday storage and cooking containers and is often used in their religious rituals as well. Pottery vessels are also particularly important to the Raramuri for the brewing of tesguino, a corn-based beer that is brewed in ceramic jars. Raramuri pottery historically was unpainted and decorated primarily with attached leather and rawhide. Today painted pottery is becoming more common as a part of the tourist trade. The “paint”, a type of thin mineral slip, is obtained from red ochre, iron oxide or hematite and applied by hand or using a feather or cloth-wrapped stick as a brush. The pottery is hand made by coiling a thin rope of clay on top of itself into the desired shape. The surface is then smoothed and the coils are fused together using a piece of gourd, stone or wood. [Kathryn S. (Barr) McCloud]

Object: Stirrup jar

C/1953/7/1
Stirrup jar
Mycenaean
Cyprus
ca. 1300-1230 BCE
Materials: Ceramic, slip

Stirrup jars are specialized containers, named after the stirrup shape that the handles form, for oil or wine that are closely associated with the Minoan and Mycenaean cultures of the Aegean Bronze Age. It is thought that this type of container was originally intended to be used in the same way an amphora was used, to store and serve liquids. However, their relatively small size and arrangements for stoppering and attaching labels seems to indicate that stirrup jars were most commonly used to store and serve only particularly valuable liquids. While there are many variations of this basic shape, this example in the Sam Noble Museum most closely resembles the type of stirrup jar described by Swedish archaeologist Arn Furumark as FS179. Other examples of this shape can be found in the British Museum, and the Museum of Art and Archeology at the University of Missouri at Columbia.

One of the most interesting features of this jar is that it was labeled in antiquity with a Cypro-Minoan (sometimes also called Linear C) character. Cypro-Minoan script originated on the island of Cyprus in the Late Bronze age and is thought to have been derived from the Minoan script, Linear A. Labels of this type on pottery are called dipinti, meaning “painted.” While the meaning behind this type of marking is still unknown it is believed that they were applied separate from the rest of the decoration and could indicate a makers mark, or the owner of the contents, or some sort of routing information.

The following is a video discussing Cypro-Minoan script and what scholars have learned about it over the years. [Kathryn S. (Barr) McCloud]

Object: Mat

E/1971/2/3
Mat or fai-fai
Nigeria
ca. 1970
Materials: Grass, and dyed strips of doum palm leaves

This object is a mat made of grass that has been wrapped with dyed strips of doum palm leaves, sometimes called a fai-fai. Mats like this one are common in Nigeria and are typically used in the kitchen, where they have many uses, including being a fan for a fire, a pot holder, or lid.

The dyed outer surface of the mat is made from the leaves of the doum palm (Hyphaene thebaica). This type of tree is native to Africa and grows from Mauritania to Egypt, from Senegal to Central Africa and east to Tanzania. They tend to grow close to groundwater and can be found in oases and wadis, and is widely distributed near rivers and streams. These palm trees produce an edible fruit but are also prized for their leaves and roots which are widely used for making baskets, nets, brooms, and even some rough textiles.

Aside from its basic identification, the museum catalog contains very little information on this object, can you help us? Do you know anything about this type of mat or the people who made it? [Kathryn S. (Barr) McCloud]

Object: Chocolate whisk

E/1978/5/9
Chocolate whisk (Molinillo)
Tlacolulu, Oaxaca, Mexico
ca. 1978
Materials: Wood

This object is a chocolate whisk, sometimes called a molinillo. Whisks like this one are used to make chocolate foam, a Mexican specialty, used in many traditional drinks and recipes. Chocolate is made from cacao, a type of seed found in fruit produced by Theobroma Cacao trees, and is native to Mexico and Central America. Making chocolate from the cacao seeds is a long and involved process. The seeds must be fermented and then dried, roasted, shelled, ground, and pressed before it can be mixed with milk and sugar to form the candy we all know and love. However, prior to European contact, chocolate was traditionally served as a drink and was not sweetened like most modern chocolates. In fact it isn’t uncommon in traditional Mexican cuisine to find recipes that use chili’s along with chocolate. Chocolate whisks like this one were invented by the Spaniard colonists in Mexico around the 1700′s.  Prior to the invention of the molinillo, chocolate froth was made by pouring the drink back-and-forth from one cup to another.  The whisks are used in a single container with the handle extending out of the top. The handle is rotated by rubbing it rapidly between the user’s hands.

The following video shows how chocolate whisks are used.

[Kathryn S. (Barr) McCloud]

Object: Manioc press

E/1967/32/3
Manioc press
Unknown Lowland Amazonian tribe
South America: possibly Colombia
Unknown date
Materials: Plant fibers

Manioc, also called yuca or cassava, a woody shrub native to South America, is extensively grown by native groups of South

Photo by Grete Howard, http://www.flickr.com/photos/11683866@N06/

America and Africa for its edible starchy root. This root, which somewhat resembles a sweet potato, is a major source of carbohydrates for these groups despite containing dangerous levels of a cyanide-like substance called prussic acid. Careful preparation is required to eliminate the poisonous substance from the tuber prior to eating. This substance, while potentially harmful to humans, helps to naturally protect the plant from pests and insects. Many South American tribes use a press similar to the one shown above

Photo by Marion & Tony Morrison, http://www.southamericanpictures.com/resume/resume.htm

to help eliminate the poison from their manioc. In South America, manioc is typically processed by peeling and grating the tuber and then rinsing, straining and pressing the liquids out until the remaining material forms a flour-like powder. The manioc flour is then typically used for making breads, though today manioc flour (also sometimes called tapioca flour) is becoming popular as a gluten-free food source and thickener.

The following video shows the process of harvesting, processing, and using manioc in Guyana.

Similar manioc presses can be found in the Peabody Museum, the National Museum of the American Indian, the National Museum of Ethnology in Japan and others.

[Kathryn S. (Barr) McCloud]

Object: Ewer

E/1983/1/1
Ewer
Korea
918-1392: Koryo (or Korai or Goryeo) Period
Materials: Porcelain, celadon glaze

This object is an ewer or vase-like pitcher, which has been dated from the 12^th century. The ewer is gourd-shaped (characteristic of the Koryo period) and has a low foot, flared spout and a double rope handle. Human-like figures and bunches of grapes and vines adorn the vase. These figures are done in black and white slip, which contrast against the greenish gray color of the celadon glaze. Prior to the Koryo period, pottery and ceramics in Korea were unglazed. During the Koryo period Korean artists began adding glaze, which provide a smooth, glassy appearance.  Celadon, like that found on this ewer from the Sam Noble Museum, is a type of semi-transparent glaze that originated in China. Korean artists in the Koryo period perfected the craft of celadon production, popularizing inlaid celadon. To create inlaid celadon, artists would use black or white slip to create a design on the piece before glazing. This was a distinctly different practice from the traditional Chinese method.

Celadon glaze can produce a variety of colors such as white, yellow, gray or blue. The color of the glaze depends on the glaze’s composition, the thickness or how many layers are applied, as well as the type of clay the glaze is applied to. However, the most sought after color by artists and collectors is a pale green similar to jade. The green color is achieved during the firing process. The iron oxide in the glaze or the clay will change colors in an oxygen-restricted kiln. As glaze can often defect during the firing process, crazing or crackling can occur. Depending on the nature of the crackling in each specimen, the result is sometimes desirable.

For more information see:
Brandt, Kim
2000   Objects of Desire: Japanese Collectors and Colonial Korea. Positions 8(3): 711-747.
Lee, Soyoung
2003    Goryeo Celadon. In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000
[Chelsea Pierce]

Object: Bowl

E/2009/1/2
Bowl
Daisy Hooee Nampeyo
Hopi
Arizona, United States
ca. 1940
Materials: Ceramic, & clay slip

This bowl is an example of “revival” Hopi pottery and was made by Daisy Hooee Nampeyo. Daisy Nampeyo was the granddaughter of the famous turn of the century Hopi potter Nampeyo. Daisy first learned to make pottery as a young girl from her grandmother but, in her early teen years she began to lose her eyesight. Luckily, Anita Baldwin, a wealthy art patron and daughter of southern California land developer E.J. Baldwin volunteered to take Daisy to California where she was able to have surgery to correct her vision. Daisy lived with Mrs. Baldwin for

Awatovi ruins

several years, and Baldwin even paid for her to study art at the School of Fine Arts in Paris. After her time in Paris, Daisy returned to her family and began producing an impressive body of work in both pottery and jewelry. As her grandmother had before her, Daisy studied ancestral pottery for inspiration, spending a great deal of time examining pottery excavated by Harvard University in the mid-1930s from the Awatovi site in Arizona.

Traditional Hopi pottery is made using a coil technique rather than with a pottery wheel. The designs are hand painted on with yucca leaf brushes and the pottery was fired in an open area surrounded by burning coals or sheep dung rather than in a kiln. Many designs can be found on Hopi pottery including: stair-step symbols representing the kiva, bird symbols, the bear track, the avanyu or water serpent, and others. This bowl has a variation of the bear track design as its primary decoration.

The following video demonstrates how a modern Maricopa artist fires his pottery in a way similar to traditional Hopi potters.

[Kathryn S. (Barr) McCloud]

Object: Jug

C/1953/13/1
Cyprus: Red-On-Black Ware Jug
Middle Bronze Age
Materials: Clay

This object is a handmade jug from Cyprus, which is of a shape usually labeled tankard. The exterior decoration consists of groups of short parallel lines and bands encircling the vase.  This style of decoration was a popular motif for tankards, and is commonly known as horror vacui (literally “fear of open space”).  This decorating technique covered the entire surface of an object with design.  The horror vacui style is late in the Red-on-black period, possibly dating the jug to the Middle Bronze Age (1650 – 1600 B.C.)  The practice of covering entire surfaces with design elements extended into the Geometric period of Greek art.

Cyprus is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea just south of Turkey.  Throughout its history, copper has been extensively exploited bringing wealth to Cyprus.  The island built a large trade industry with the Near East, Egypt and the Aegean during the Early and Middle Bronze Age periods. After 1400 BC, Mycenaeans from Greece reached the island, most likely as merchants.  During the 12th and 11th centuries B.C., several invasions of Achaean Greeks come to settle on the island bringing with them the Greek language, religion, and customs. From this point onward, the island was progressively Hellenized.

The Red-on-black ware, also sometimes called bi-chrome, was representative of Cypriot Bronze Age pottery.  Examples of bi-chrome pottery have been found in the Palestinian region.   The majority of the bi-chrome group is red paint on a black background. The most common vessels found of this type are kraters, jars and jugs. Neutron activation techniques have determined the pottery uncovered in Palestine was imported from eastern Cyprus supporting the idea of an extensive trade industry.

[Debra Taylor]

Object: Teapot

E/1955/18/49
China
Ch’ing Dynasty
K’ang Hsi Period (1661-1722)
Materials:  Chalcedony

This object is a 4.5” high teapot with lid constructed of chalcedony.  The light gray colored teapot has engraved dragon designs on the sides.  The Imperial Dragon or Lung was considered to be a benevolent spiritual animal. Possessed with wisdom and power, the dragon symbolized the Emperors of China.

Chalcedony is a term referring to a variety of cryptocrystalline quartz gemstones. Chalcedony can be virtually any color of the rainbow. It is commonly pale blue, yellow, brown or gray with a wax-like luster. The gemstone is found in sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks.  Because of its abundance, durability, and beauty, chalcedony was a prized raw material by early humans. The earliest recorded use of chalcedony was for projectile points, knives, tools, and containers such as cups and bowls.

The teapot has been dated to the K’ang His Period of the Ch’ing Dynasty.  K’ang-hsi was the fourth emperor of the Ch’ing dynasty (1661-1722). He promoted learning in the arts and sciences, reduced taxes, and promoted water conservation which earned him a reputation for benevolence.

China is the homeland of tea. It is believed that China had tea-shrubs five to six thousand years ago, and human cultivation of tea-plants dates back about two thousand years. Tea from China began to be known the world over more than a thousand years ago. At present more than forty countries in the world grow tea with Asian countries producing 90% of the world’s total output. All tea trees in other countries have their origin directly or indirectly in China. The word for tea leaves or tea as a drink in many countries are derivatives from the Chinese character “cha.” The English word “tea” sounds similar to the pronunciation of its counterpart in Xiamen (Amoy). The habit of tea drinking spread to Japan in the 6th century, but it was not introduced to Europe and America until the 17th century. [Debra Taylor]

Object: Kantharos

C/2001/1/27
Black Bucchero-Ware Strap Kantharos
Etruscan
Italy, Tuscany
Ca. 600 BCE
Materials:  clay

Bucchero is a very common type of fine pottery that was made by the Etruscans when their civilization was at its height, from the seventh to the fourth century BCE. Characteristically, Bucchero-ware is black, sometimes gray, and often shiny from polishing. The color was achieved by firing in an atmosphere charged with carbon monoxide instead of oxygen. This is known as a reducing firing, and it converts the red of the clay, due to the presence of iron oxide, to the typical bucchero colors. Bucchero sottile is a very fine and thin pottery often decorated with incisions or various dot and line patterns.  The museum kantharos is an example of the sottile style.  The Bucchero pesante style appeared around the 6^th century BCE and is characterized by its thicker walls and relief decorations in the shape of animal and human heads.

A kantharos is a deep cup with two vertical handles, which often extend high above the lip of the cup, resembling ears.  Ancient authors regularly associated the kantharos with Dionysus, the Greek god of fertility and wine.
The origins of the Etruscan culture are lost to pre-history, however, the civilization that would become known as the Etruscan culture began to develop in northern Italy  around 800 BCE.  Although it is uncertain where the Etruscans came from, nevertheless it is clear that when they settled on the Italian Peninsula they brought with them civilization and urbanization.  They founded their civilizations in north-eastern Italy between the Appenine mountain range and the Tyrrhenian Sea. Their civilization stretched from the Arno river in the north to the Tiber river towards the center of the Italian peninsula; it was on the Tiber river that sat a small village of Latins — the village that would become Rome.  So the Romans, who were only villagers during the rise of the Etruscan civilization, were in close contact with the Etruscans, their language, their ideas, their religion, and their civilization; the Etruscans were one of the single most important influences on Roman culture in its transition to civilization. They were a sophisticated people, with an alphabet, a tradition of original sculpture and painting, and a religion based on human-type gods.  All of these they passed down to the Romans.    [Debra Taylor]