ASM’s collection of historic Native American canteens are primarily of Hopi manufacture, but also includes examples from Western and Rio Grande Pueblos of New Mexico and Tohono O’odham of southern Arizona.
Polacca Polychrome canteen with house-of-the-water-serpent design, ca. 1885-1900, Hopi Mesas, AZ. Unknown artist. Dr. Joshua A. Miller Collection, gift of the Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society, 1917. Max. length: 7 in. (17 cm.).
(Catalog No. 4067)
Cochiti black-on-gray canteen with rain cloud motifs, 1994, Cochiti, NM. Elizabeth Trujillo. ASM purchase, collected by Jan Bell. Max. length: 8.25 in. (20.9 cm.). (Catalog No. 1994-76-5)
Detail of 1994-76-5.
Tohono O’odham Black-on-red canteen, ca. 1940, Tohono O’odham Reservation, AZ. Unknown artist. Collected by Mrs. C.F. Roberts, exchange with Arizona Historical Society, 1963. Max. length: 7.5 in. (18.9 cm.). (Catalog No. E-5717)
This canteen shape, made by O’odham and Pee Posh (Maricopa) potters, was fashioned after metal military canteens.
Top view of E-5717.