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Collecting Native American Art

Native American POTTERY

Materials

Clay
Traditional Native American Pottery is created through a unique and time intensive process.

Clay and slip supplies are usually dug at a secret location only known to family members. In the past, finding a supply of good material for pottery could be a challenge, and often the location led the craftsperson miles from home.

Suitable clays for pottery are formed when minute particles of dirt settle in still water areas of rivers and ponds. These particles are carried by streams, before current changes discard them into collection areas.

A culmination of dirt, minerals and water, ideal clay deposits will yield a candidate that is flexible enough to be rolled into coils without breaking, much like the qualities of thin plastic.

Temper
Temper is the treating of a material to make it stronger or more flexible.

When tempering clay to make it more acceptable for use, the prime consideration is making a substance that can withstand drastic changes in temperature, for example inserting a pot into fire during cooking.

Much like adding gravel to certain types of cement, Native Americans would use suitable resources from their environment to add to the clay.

Plant fibers or broken bits of pottery or ocean shells that had been crushed to a finer grain were common temper materials. Sand also made an acceptable temper.

While earlier artisans probably added temper by eye or by feel, it is noted that a ratio of 1 part temper to 10 parts clay makes for a preferable mix.

Decorative Colors
Minerals and plants are chosen for their color and ground to a powder before being mixed with water to create paints.

These paints would be applied by hand with a handmade paintbrush, usually created from the fibers of the yucca plant.

Smoothing Stone
As the name implies, a smoothing stone is a smooth stone used to smooth the outside of the clay pot or bowl.

Firing Material
Sheep or cow dung can be used as a combustible to fuel the fire used to bake clay pottery into a hardened finish.

Creation Process
After retraction from its holding bed, the clay is cleaned of impurities such as large stones and sticks.

Once the desired amount of clay is cleaned, temper is added.

While earlier artisans probably added temper by eye or by feel, it is noted that a ratio of 1 part temper to 10 parts clay makes for a preferable mix.

Kneading proper amounts of temper into the clay mix not only helps to evenly distribute the added temper, but also helps to remove the air bubbles in the clay. If the air bubbles are not removed, the finished piece of pottery may crack during the firing process.

Once the clay is kneaded, the artisan will draw a clump of clay to form a bowl or base. This is done by pinching the thumbs into the center of the clump, with the remaining fingers outside the clump of clay.

The clay is pinched and rotated until a bowl or base with walls of roughly ¼ inch thickness is formed.

The pottery base is then inserted into a hollow in the ground for stability while the coils are added.

The balance of the clay is then rolled into coils by hand. Coils are created by rolling a clump of clay back and forth under open hands against a flat surface, until the clay takes the shape similar to a piece of rope.

Using a stiff brush made from a shrub branch, the leaves are moistened with water, and the brush is run along the length of the coils.

This roughens the coils, an important step to help seal out air that might be introduced when the coil sections are being squeezed together as they are added to the pot.

The coils are then applied in layers, one at a time, starting with the base of the pot and working upward.

Each layer is pressed on the inside and outside of the piece it is being adjoined to, using the thumb and forefingers to create a welding action to bring the new sections of clay together.

Once the desired shape is achieved, the pottery is then smoothed.

To achieve a smooth, polished finish on the pot, the item would be meticulously scraped and burnished with a smoothing stone.

Deer antlers, shaped sticks, carved paddles or sea shells could be impressed or scrapped on the outside of the pottery to create texture and design.

Once the artisan is satisfied with the shape and detail of the pottery, it is allowed to dry for several days. Once dry the piece is ready for firing to finish drying and hardening the piece.

A small fire is initially lit to preheat the rocks that the pottery will rest on and to warm the piece before immersion.

After the initial firing is complete, the piece is placed upside down on the warmed rocks, directly in the fire pit.

A fire is built around the piece to finish the hardening process, and hot coals and small kindling fires harden the inside of the pottery.

If created traditionally, Native American pottery is distinguishable from ceramic pots that have been commercially made.
Traditions
Native American pottery dates back some 3,000 years ago.

It is known that Indian tribes would migrate from area to area based on the season and what it had to offer.

The spring and summer would find an entire village moving to coastal areas, taking advantage of fishing and shell fishing opportunities. The fall was marked by a retreat inland, to take advantage of ripened fruits, vegetables and hunting opportunities.

It is estimated that 2,700 years ago, these same tribes began to change the way they gathered essentials.

The new way meant the main body of a tribe would stay at the primary inland village, and smaller parties would extend outward, often establishing camps, to exploit the seasonal abundance, store it and bring it back to the village after a period of time.

Early pottery was fragile, due to poor manufacturing and firing techniques. This made its transport not practical during these moves.

It is believed that the women primarily undertook the creation of pottery. The techniques developed were traditionally passed on to younger generations, and they were improved upon through creative improvisation.

Pottery’s initial introduction was no doubt geared toward food preparation and eating, replacing heavy bowls carved from stone or porous wooden bowls that would develop mold and taint the taste of food.

As inventory increased, the use included food storage.

As these utilitarian items became objects for creative decoration, the same traditions that were passed down in their creation, were reflected in their decoration.

It is understood that roughly 1200 years ago there was a marked increase in the diversity and detail of exterior pottery design.

It is believed that Native American villages used similar designs to serve as a brand, identifying the pottery as belonging to a certain village or family.
Innovations
It is fascinating to think of the earliest uses of clay in the creation of pottery.

Perhaps a Native American man or woman came up with a hand full of clay from a riverbed while trying to capture a fish by hand.

The substance felt soft to the touch and compacted easily within a clenched fist. A natural curiosity led to reshaping and probing with fingers, perhaps even an indentation that noticeably held droplets of water from wet fingers.

The newly found trinket returned to camp with its discoverer, where after a few days of sitting around it became hard and purpose was reasoned from this river mud.

Along this line of cognitive reasoning, other innovations such as tempering, coiling and firing were invented.

Pieces of pottery found in archaeological sites expose other innovations. Pots designed with pointed bottoms would sit firmly between rocks in fire pits, and they were probably ideal for boiling meats and fish.

Pottery designed with wide round bottoms sat easily on their own, and they were probably placed next to the fire for slower simmering or in a preparation area for mixing.

Tapered necks eventually made their way into existence, which made them easier to hold and ideal for suspending over a fire.

Design textures found on unearthed pottery reveal other innovations, particularly in aesthetic value.

Native Americans discovered that symmetrical impressions could be made in pottery by use of etching tools prior to firing. These tools were made from seashells, carved sticks, deer antlers, netting or toothed combs.

Juice from plants and berries were mixed with water to create crude paints that were used to decorate the pottery once it had been fired.

Caring for Your Pottery
These procedures have been known to work on most pottery, but due to material and workmanship differences, caution must be taken and testing the cleaning methods on a small section is recommended to ensure no adverse effects occur.

• Cleaning pottery that is in poor shape, especially chipped or cracked, is not recommended. Solutions absorbed into exposed porous areas can be detrimental to the pottery.
• To preserve the natural texture and color of your Native American pottery, only clean when necessary, and use as little cleaning solution as possible to achieve the desired results.
• If the artisan chose to use cold paint as a finish on the pottery, any kind of cleaning, even wiping with a cloth and water can be harmful to the paint. If possible, clean around any painted areas on pieces that have been cold painted.
• Start by cleaning your pottery with mild soapy water and a damp cloth. If scrubbing is necessary, gently scrub with a soft head toothbrush.
• Mild water spots (lime deposits) inside a piece of pottery can usually be clean with a denture cleaner. Create a mixture by inserting one or two denture tablets into a bowl of water and allow them to dissolve. Dampen a cloth with this mixture and clean the inside of the pottery. For smaller pieces that won’t allow you to insert your hand inside, create the denture mixture right in the pottery. Allow it to work for a brief period of time and remove the mixture. Use a blow dryer or fan to dry the inside of the pottery.
• Residue from a price label can usually be removed with soapy water. Adhesive removers such as Goo Be Gone should be used with caution, as should other harsher cleaners such as LCR or bleach.
• Use caution if you feel the need to use a more abrasive cleaning device such as steel wool. If uncertain, always test your cleaning method in a small area first.

Restoration
Pottery was first and foremost a utilitarian item. Utilitarian items as artifacts are some of the oldest in existence.

As noted earlier, developments in the efficiency of these items coincided with mark improvements in artistic design and innovation.

Artifacts suitable for collection have a deep history and a long story to tell. Keeping them properly preserved is not only a protection to your investment, but shows a deeper appreciation for the multi-level value that they contain.

Restoring Native American Pottery covers a broad topic area, including:

• safe cleaning
• removal of stains
• safe gluing
• gluing techniques
• using fillers
• creating missing parts
• repairing chips
• resurfacing
• painting
• paint matching

All of this is done with the goal of making the repairs invisible, meaning undetectable to the eye to keep the piece looking great.

While there are simple methods that can be employed to repair and restore pottery, consideration to value and your comfort level performing such task should be evaluated.

Accurate restoration of higher value pottery requires more care and attention to detail. After all, you wouldn’t restore an original copy of the Decoration of Independence with a typewriter, would you?

Many professional restoration companies throughout the country have years of experience in restoring antique pottery. Special consideration should be given to contracting a Native American artisan, particularly one with the same tribal affiliation as the origin of the piece.

These artists not only possess the talent, but bring a true understanding of the meaning behind the restoration to the project.

In addition, there are inquiries you should make before contracting a restorer, such as:

• Ask for a writing appraisal.
• Be clear that the materials used to recondition and repair are stable and won’t have undesired long term effects on the pottery such as discoloration or shrinkage.
• Ask if any repairs to be made are reversible if you are not satisfied with the finished product.

A professional restorer will use treatments designed to have little outstanding impact on the pottery in both application and removal.

Home Restoration and Repair
Home restoration and repair require some simple tools.

You will want to have handy the following items and materials:

• small, soft head tooth brush
• small disposable modeling brush
• white glue
• razor blades or modeling knife
• plastic food storage container
• sand or rice
• cotton swabs
• toothpicks

Broken Pieces
White glue (PVA or polyvinyl acetate) as listed above, it the preferred adhesive for repairing pottery.

Using a disposable modeling brush, apply an even layer of glue to the contact area of the broken piece and the area to which it is to be adhered.

Avoid using too much glue as it will cause a loose joint, with the adhering piece floating on a layer of glue. Of course, insufficient glue will lead to poor adhesion.

Place the glued pieces together for a proper fit.

Avoid twisting or shifting the pieces as this could cause the edges to crack or chip. If the fit isn’t exact, remove the piece and position it again.

Wait at least an hour before removing excess glue that may have seeped from the seams.

Using a razor or modeling knife, carefully remove excess glue jell from the piece. Use a cotton swab dipped in hot water to remove any remaining glue resin.

For larger breaks, create a mending box out of the plastic container and rice or sand.

After the two pieces have been glued together, place them in the mending box in a position that will hold the pieces in proper order and allow gravity to apply pressure to ensure a tight fit.

While probably not an issue for the usual display of collected pottery pieces, it is important to note that exposing the repaired section to temperatures over 200 degrees will soften the glue.

Use caution when displaying repaired objects near fireplaces, wood stoves and conventional ovens.

Chips
Find an oil-based enamel that closely matches the color of the chip to be repaired. Hobby paints such as Testors modeling paints are ideal.

This repair method is recommended only for shallow (less than a quarter inch) chips.

Use a toothpick to mix a small amount of clear, slow drying epoxy with the oil-based paint.

Use the mixing tooth pick to dab small amounts of the mix into the chipped area and smooth until it is flush with the surface.

The mix should be completely dry in 48 hours.

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