Native American, North America, west of the Mississippi River (modern day Arkansas), Mississippian, Quapaw culture, ca. 1160 to 1520 CE. An exemplary hand-built pottery vessel boasting a round yet stable base, a bulbous body, and a tall, narrow neck that stretches to an annular, flared rim. The delightful bottle is adorned with red and white paints featuring a series of vertical stripes along the body of the vessel, a horizontal band on the rounded shoulder that is half red and half buff, and a vertically divided neck that is also half red and half white. The vertical stripe motif shown on this example is a conventional pattern of Mississippian pottery. Size: 8" in diameter x 10" H (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)

The Quapaw were Native Americans who lived in four villages along the Mississippi River in what is now Arkansas from ca. 1500 through the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The tribe was divided into two large moieties (divisions) - Earth and Sky - and twenty-one clans. Elegantly hand-built and brilliantly hued ceramics like this example are some of their longest lasting artistic achievements. The iconography on these pieces offers intriguing glimpses of their cultural/religious beliefs and practices. This is a fine example with a strong decorative program!

According to the Museum of Native American History (MONAH), "The artistic design that went into decorating these pottery vessels varied by region, but nowhere had it surpassed the expert craftsmanship and artistic design that was found by the inhabitants that lived in the area now known as modern day Arkansas. The Arkansas area was occupied by three major groups during this period: the Caddo in the southwest, the Quapaw along the lower Arkansas River, and a group simply called the Mississippians in the northeast."

This piece has been tested using thermoluminescence (TL) analysis and has been found to be ancient and of the period stated. A full report will accompany purchase.

This piece has been searched against the Art Loss Register database and has been cleared. The Art Loss Register maintains the world’s largest database of stolen art, collectibles, and antiques.

Provenance: private Kansas City, Missouri, USA collection; ex-John Townsend collection, acquired in the 1970s and earlier

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#161639

TL holes to rim, side of body, and shoulder. Restoration to neck. Repaired from at least three pieces with break lines visible in some areas and restoration over break lines in others. Expected scratches, nicks, and abrasions as shown, all commensurate with age. Otherwise, very nice with lovely mineral deposits and excellent remaining pigments.