Santa Clara Pottery

Santa Clara Pueblo in New Mexico has an over 300-year tradition of pottery making. Santa Clara pottery was originally made for home use (storage, water vessels, cooking), with the potters producing the wares for tourists beginning in the 1880s. Santa Clara pottery is known for its distinctive glossy black or red finishes. To achieve blackware, the potters fire polished vessels in a smothered fire (i.e., a fire with less oxygenation). This firing technique turns the clay of the entire pot black. Santa Clara redware pottery is made with the same clay as the blackware, but fired in a hotter, highly oxygenated fire to produce the different color finish. Early Santa Clara pottery shapes include ollas (large water or grain jars), bowls, and candlesticks.