Archaeology Lecture: "Exploring Hopi Yellow Ware Pottery."

Featuring Dr. Kelley Hays-Gilpin & Bobby Silas. This talk explores the deep history of Hopi pottery traditions, from collections to potters.
About this Event

* This in-person talk will also be offered on Zoom, but requires registration. Click here to register for Zoom access *

In honor of International Archaeology Day, we are hosting Hopi potter Bobby Silas and Museum of Northern Arizona Curator Dr. Kelley Hays-Gilpin. Their talk will explore the deep history of Hopi pottery traditions, from museum collections to contemporary potters’ expertise. Many unique aspects enliven stories from two millennia of continuous tradition, such as technical changes and challenges with paint recipes, coal-firing, innovative vessel forms, and meaningful painted designs. In-person lecture also offered on Zoom.

In honor of our temporary exhibit "Coiling Kin: The Life of Pueblo Pottery."

Dr. Kelley Hays-Gilpin is the Edward Bridge Danson, Jr. Chair of Anthropology at the Museum of Northern Arizona and Professor Emerita of Anthropology, Northern Arizona University. She holds a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Arizona, and has 40 years of experience studying rock art, pottery, and other visual arts in the Southwest. Her current research focuses on the long-term histories and arts of Hopi and Zuni communities and their relationships with land and water. She is investigating culturally appropriate museum curation techniques in collaboration with Indigenous scholars and planning new exhibits for MNA galleries and publications about MNA collections.

Bobby Silas is a giften Hopi potter who credits learning to make pottery from Navasie. His focus is to revive the Siktayki pottery of 1100-1600. Hopi potters have never taken on the revival of the ancient Sikyatki pottery clay and firings. Since 2015, Bobby has revived the Siktayki method of firing using lignite coal, which he acquires near First Mesa at Hopi. After nearly 500 years, he has been experimenting with its revival. His pieces are inspired by the Sikyatki polychrome and Jeddito black-on-yellow pottery. Each piece is hand-coiled, painted with native clay slips, and a bee-W**d plant variant. Bobby has won awards for his distinctive and creative pottery. His work has been exhibited and sold in Arizona, New Mexico, and beyond.