Cone 6
Clay Body:
Standard 211
Red Iron Oxide Wash
Underglaze:
Mayco
UG51 China White
UG50 Jet Black
UG208 Dragon Red
UG31 Chocolate
UG46 Bright Yellow
Native American wedding pots created across the tribes of North America. I narrowed my personal inspired surface design using the techniques specific to the Pueblo Native American tribes.
My initial research focused on Native American pottery from the Pennsylvania region. While studying the Lenape tribes of the Delaware River Valley, I looked at pottery pieces and surface designs. I found a photo of a wedding jar said to be created by the Lenape, but information about their actual use of wedding pots was conflicting. Because of this, I decided to focus on wedding pots more broadly. I learned that these vessels were made and used by many Native American tribes, especially in the Southwest among the Navajo and Hopi. Although their shapes and decorations varied, they held a shared purpose in wedding ceremonies.
Wedding pots were made from clay gathered near rivers and streams. Artists often used a pinch pot base and built up the form using the coil method. The surface was smoothed with stones, decorated, and then pit-fired using manure.
Symbolically, wedding pots represent the union of two people. The shared base of the pot stands for their common ground, while the two spouts represent the bride and groom. A single handle connects the spouts, symbolizing their bond, and the open space between them represents the circle of life. During the ceremony, the couple drinks from the spouts, sometimes nectar, tea, or water. Some tribes believed that if the couple could drink without spilling, it showed their marriage would be long and harmonious. The pot would then be kept as a special keepsake of their union.
Surface decorations differ among tribes. Some pots have simple textures, such as impressions from woven cloth, while others feature carved geometric lines or painted designs using mineral pigments. In some regions, artists included images of birds or animals to reflect cultural stories and symbols.
