Original: A contest to design the new state flag was won by Dr. Harry Mera of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Mera was an archaeologist who was familiar with the Zia sun symbol found at Zia Pueblo on a 19th century pot.
Simplified: In 1920, Dr. Harry Mera, an archaeologist won a contest to design a new state flag and chose the Zia sun symbol because he was familiar with the one that was found in Zia Pueblo on a 19th century pot.