Acoma potters constructed canteens using the closed apex technique, sometimes with the aid of a puki. A puki could be a ceramic plate, or other surface, that was used to help shape the canteen, to support the canteen while the body and neck were being made, to allow for rotating the vessel during production in order to maintain symmetry, or to move it once it was complete.
Smaller canteens such as these were and continue to be made for sale.
Acoma Black-on-buff canteen, ca. 1880, Pueblo of Acoma, NM. Unknown artist. Collected by Harold Gladwin at Acoma, 1926. Gila Pueblo Collection, received 1951. Max. length: 10.75 in. (27.4 cm.). (Catalog No. GP-880)
Acoma Polychrome canteen, ca. 1950, Pueblo of Acoma, NM. Unknown artist. Gift of Tom and Sharon Onak. Max. length: 8.4 in. (21.3 cm.). (Catalog No. 2015-530-4)
Acoma Polychrome canteen, ca. 1970, Pueblo of Acoma, NM. Juana Garcia. Purchase, Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society funds, 1970. Max. length: 6.9 in. (17.5 cm.). (Catalog No. E-9102)
Back view of E-9102.