Pot with Arrowhead and Tomahawk

Copied Lorenzo Spencer, Pot with Arrowhead and Tomahawk, ca. 1988, fired clay with piñon pitch, 14 3⁄4 x 8 5⁄8 x 8 in. (37.5 x 21.9 x 20.3 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1997.124.174

Artwork Details

Title
Pot with Arrowhead and Tomahawk
Artist
Date
ca. 1988
Location
Dimensions
14 3⁄4 x 8 5⁄8 x 8 in. (37.5 x 21.9 x 20.3 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson
Mediums
Mediums Description
fired clay with piñon pitch
Classifications
Keywords
  • Object — weapon — bow and arrow
  • Object — weapon — axe
Object Number
1997.124.174
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1997.124.174

Artwork Description

The design of this piece is similar to that of a traditional Navajo wedding vase, with two openings joined by a handle. The arrowhead and tomahawk in the decoration, however, suggest it was not made to celebrate a wedding, but to commemorate or inspire bravery. In Navajo symbolism, an arrowhead stands for alertness, while a tomahawk represents war.