Historic Hopi Pottery

One woman is responsible for the advent of historic Hopi pottery (c. 1890s to 1960s) and its successive generations of talented potters. In the early 1890s, a Hopi potter named Nampeyo, who lived in the First Mesa village of Hano, began experimenting with clays, painting, and pit firing techniques in an effort to recreate prehistoric Sikyatki pottery that had been excavated near her home. Nampeyo (now often called “Old Lady Nampeyo” to differentiate her from her many pottery-making descendants) and her husband Lesou, beautifully replicated the Sikyatki pottery and were met with resounding commercial success from collectors. Nampeyo taught her techniques to her family and others in the Hopi community, planting the seeds for a still-thriving Hopi pottery tradition.