Bowl with Textured Surface Decoration in Basketry-Like Pattern Possibly 900 - 1000

This bowl with textured surface decoration was made by the Ancestral Pueblo people, also known as the Anasazi. This culture thrived in the Southwestern United States and this piece offers insight into their artistic and functional traditions. The textured surface of the bowl mimics basketry, revealing the intricate patterns of daily life. Looking at it, we might consider the material conditions that shaped Pueblo art. The constraints of available materials, such as clay, and the techniques used to transform these into functional objects. This piece can prompt us to ask questions about its historical context. What can the basketry pattern tell us about the maker's experience? What aspects of Pueblo culture might it reflect? What role would it have played in daily life, and how might this utilitarian object have held cultural significance? To understand this piece better, we might turn to archaeology and anthropology, considering the social and economic structures of Pueblo society. Art history allows us to understand the meanings that emerge when people make art in specific times and places.