“Butterfly World”

In the late 1800s Hopi pottery experienced a historic change often referred to as Sikyatki Revival or Hano Polychrome, and was directly related to the new visitors coming to the Hopi mesas. This birth of contemporary Hopi pottery began the era of non-utilitarian pottery for trade for goods such as coffee, flour, sugar, cloth, and metal utensils. This pottery is the direct descendent of  early decorated pottery of the Anasazi.

The abandoned pre-historic village of Sikyatki brought anthropologic interest, which in turn employed Hopi workers, and with it, exposure to the ancient ancestral ceramic wares. The designs were not copied exactly but were used as inspiration and mixed with individual cultural influence and artistic genius. Many of the shapes and forms previously lost, however, were brought back, such as this squat, wide-shouldered jar.

This butterfly design is an adapted example of a motif found at the Sikyatki ruins. Hopi pottery is made from a fine clay, enabling the potter to polish it with a smooth stone and apply mineral and vegetal paints directly onto the surface.This yellow ware is distinctly characteristic of today’s Hopi.

In the high desert of the Southwest the butterfly is celebrated for its beauty and its contribution in pollinating plant life. The butterflies fly from flower to flower, helping them grow. The butterfly helps to bring rain to the flowers and plants. This is a large responsibility for a small creature.