Where Are Native American Pottery and Rugs Sold in Mesa Verde?
While you’re in Mesa Verde Country, make sure you check out the Nizhoni Ranch Gallery. This gallery sells a variety of Mesa Verde pottery and rugs, as well as pieces from other Native American tribes. Several galleries feature the works of prominent Southwest artists. The town has several trading posts and other businesses, as well.
Nizhoni Ranch Gallery
The owners of Nizhoni Ranch Gallery in Sonoita, Arizona, have a passion for the Native People of the Southwest, and their business is rooted in tradition. Steve Getzwiller, a quiet cowboy with a ranching history spanning the New Mexico and Arizona territorial periods, is one of the world’s foremost dealers of Navajo weavings. To begin with, he used his truck to drive to Navajo reservations and sell his products. A deeply rutted dirt trail would bounce his truck, but he would be there, in the best way possible.
Nizhoni Ranch Gallery is another excellent place to purchase fine Native American Pottery and Rugs. Located in Sonoita, Arizona, this gallery features a beautiful selection of transitional weavings. The transitional period between 1880 and 1910 was a critical period in Native American art, as the market changed from wearing blankets to floor rugs. Artists would make floor rugs using designs created by Moore.
While shopping at the Nizhoni Ranch Gallery in Mesa Verde, you should also stop by several other stores in the area. Chukchi Sea Trading Company offers handmade and contemporary Native American crafts, such as pottery, baskets, jewelry, and fetish carvings. Other great shops in the area include Inter-Tribal Traders, Kachina House, and JR Merchandise.
Anasazi Corrugated Pottery Jar
This Anasazi Corrugated Pottery Jug was found at the Mancos, NM, museum. The color and decoration of the jar were influenced by the local color of Mesa Verde. In Mesa Verde, this pottery is known as “Mancos Black-on-white.” It is characterized by its flat rim and the addition of a banded design pattern.
This pottery is often called “Basketmaker III” by archaeologists. This pottery is commonly found in the Anasazi region and was first described in 1937 by Colton and Hargrave. Its color and design are distinctive, with the colors of a quartz sand temper contrasting with a rich, black-on-white pattern. It is often found on the Ackman-Lowry plateau and is considered an Eastern counterpart of Lino Black-on-gray pottery.
The Mesa Verde Museum sells a wide variety of Anasazi pottery, including this Corrugated Pottery Jar. This jar dates from 1000 CE and is sold at Mesa Verde. The jar is made from a combination of hand-rolled clay ropes and scraping. After this, it is smoothed, polished, and finished with either plant or mineral-based paints. Once the pot is finished, it is ready for firing.
