Pueblo Pottery Hopi potters at work in the 1920's. Photograph by George Holt.
Pueblo is a Spanish word that means both people and town.
Today there are eighteen distinct Pueblo groups, all of which are in New Mexico, except the Hopi and the Hopi-Tewa of Arizona. Pueblo pottery has been made for sale and collected by both tourists and serious art collectors since the late 19th century. Pueblo cultures are generally conservative, with a world view that stresses balance and harmony of humans with the universe. There is an emphasis on doing things in moderation and in following tradition, and this is refelected in the maintenance of a village pottery style or technique over a long period of time. Although many Pueblo potters today experiment outside the bounds of tradition and have developed new and interesting ceramic forms, many also continue to make the traditional types favored in their particular community.