Nampeyo
Nampeyo was a renowned Hopi potter known for her significant contributions to the revival and evolution of traditional Hopi pottery. After the Fewkes Expedition in 1895, which excavated the Sikyatki site, she studied the ancient pottery artifacts, integrating elements from the Sikyatki style into her own work while maintaining her unique artistic vision. Nampeyo was instrumental in reviving the shallow jar shape characteristic of Sikyatki Polychrome pottery, showcasing her deep understanding of how design complements vessel form. Her experimental approach with various clays led her to rediscover materials similar to those used by prehistoric potters. In the early 1900s, her work gained recognition through the promotion of the Fred Harvey Company, inspiring a new generation of Hopi potters to adopt the Hano Polychrome style. With her creative skills and technical expertise, Nampeyo set the standard for Hopi pottery, a legacy that continues through her descendants, including her daughters and granddaughters. Her influence remains a key element in the ongoing tradition of Hopi pottery artistry.
Subject Terms
Nampeyo
- Born: c. 1860
- Birthplace: Hano, First Mesa, Ariz. Territory
- Died: July 20, 1942
- Place of death: Hano, First Mesa, Arizona
Tribal affiliation: Hano, Hopi
Significance: Inspired by prehistoric Sikyatki Polychrome pottery, Nampeyo created her own style, known as Hano Polychrome, which revived the declining pottery tradition in the Hopi pueblos
When the Fewkes Expedition of 1895 excavated Sikyatki, a prehistoric Hopi site, Nampeyo’s husband, Lesou, was a member of the team. More than five hundred intact pots and thousands of fragments were recovered, all of which Nampeyo had an opportunity to study. She did not copy the Sikyatki patterns in her work but combined many of the elements and motifs, such as spiral bird beaks, wings, and feathers, with her own ideas to re-create the Sikyatki sense of form. She also experimented with different clays until she discovered the one that had been used by the prehistoric Sikyatki potters.
Among modern Hopi potters, the two most popular vessel shapes are the bowl and the jar. It was Nampeyo who revived the jar shape that was characteristic of Sikyatki Polychrome—a shallow jar with a short neck, an in-curving rim, and a low, flattened shoulder that presents an interesting design field. Nampeyo had a highly developed sense of the appropriateness of design to vessel shape, and the placement of her decorative elements always complemented the form of the pot.
In the early 1900’s, with the Fred Harvey Company promoting her work, Nampeyo inspired many other Hopi potters to work in the Hano Polychrome style. With her creative ability and technical mastery, she set the standards for a pottery tradition that has continued under the leadership of her daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters.