Owl effigy jar

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Images(6)

Datec. 1875-1900

MediumTerracotta with paint

DimensionsOverall: 10 × 9 × 9 in. (25.4 × 22.9 × 22.9 cm)

Credit LineTransferred from the Knox Hall of Natural History, Hamilton College

Object number1984.530

Not on view

DescriptionClay effigy jar in the shape of an owl with white, brown, and yellow paint. Said to be from Arizona. "The A:shiwi tribe of the American Southwest, formerly known as the Zuni tribe, are among the Pueblo people. A pueblo is a settlement of Native Americans composed of adobe style homes. Adobes are made from sun-dried clay bricks. Clay was a staple for art and architecture in these New Mexico based communities, providing the material for homes and decorative pottery. Southwestern tribes made ceramic vessels with functional and aesthetic value, ranging from bowls and storage to urns and artistic sculptures. This owl effigy jar is a relatively recent creation, as Native American pottery dates back thousands of years. The jar is estimated to have been made between 1875 and 1900 AD. The term effigy means that this vessel was made to resemble a specific figure, in this case an owl. The jar represents the owl’s likeness and may have served the cultural tradition of fetish carving for the A:shiwi. Fetishes are inanimate objects worshipped for their magical powers. According to A:shiwi culture, the owl fetish serves to protect the home. It also symbolizes truth, wisdom, and unique perspective, as it can see what others cannot. According to some tribes, the owl can also be a dark omen because it is creature of the forest and of the night. A:shiwi people drew inspiration for art and these magical figures from their surroundings of the varied landscape of New Mexico: mountains, rivers, forests, and deserts all within range of the reservation. The magic of this terrain speaks to the strength of Pueblo culture, as the land has been an important part of and platform for A:shiwi tradition and culture. Like other Southwest American tribes, the A:shiwi tribe established enduring roots in Southwest, built permanent homes in the form of clay, and decorated these homes with items such as the owl effigy. This effigy was created during a difficult time for the United States. The Civil War, a battle between the Northern union and the Southern confederacy over slave states, broke out in 1861 and lasted until 1865. This war coincided with westward expansion. The desire to move westward raised new questions about territory, expansion, and the preservation of Native American communities. While this new frontier promised a new home, a prosperous future, and gold to white settlers, it brought far reaching consequences to Native American groups like the A:shiwi who already inhabited the land. However, the A:shiwi have managed to survive such conflicts and preserve their traditions to this day." (Written by Annelise Vought, Class of 2019)

Collections

Native American Art

Additional Details

Exhibition History 2015
Clinton, NY (Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art, Hamilton College). "Seek and Find," September 1, 2015 - August 2016 (no cat., brochure);

2012-13
Clinton, NY (Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art, Hamilton College). "Affinity Atlas," October 6, 2012 - April 7, 2013 (brochure).

2011
Clinton, NY. Fred L. Emerson Gallery, Hamilton College. "Learning to Look: Hamilton's Cabinets, Galleries and Museums Past, Present and Future," September 15 - December 16, 2011 (no cat.).

Provenance 1984: Hamilton College (Emerson Gallery), by transfer from the Anthropology Department;
by 1979 - 1984: Hamilton College (Anthropology Department), by transfer from the Knox Hall of Natural History;
by 1925: Hamilton College (Knox Hall of Natural History), by gift from an unknown donor (research pending).

Markings Adhesive label on verso: CA236

Inscribed Inscribed in ink on bottom: EA176