1990.217.FA Classic Mimbres Black-on-white bowl: turkey with staff head (Southwest, Mogollon (Mimbres))


GENERAL DESCRIPTION  
Mogollon populations domesticated turkeys from around 600 CE, keeping them primarily for their feathers. The painter of this bowl illustrates a turkey with abstracted staff head, expanded wings covered with a checker pattern, and a series of lines and fretwork on the body.

According to certain accounts among populations of the US Southwest, people emerged into the current world through an opening (sipapupuni) in the earth. People and animals escaped the floods that were destroying the previous world by climbing a tree into the world above. The turkey was the last to emerge since they are slow and earthbound. The tips of the bird’s tail feathers were turned white by the foam of rising flood waters.  

Adapted from
Kimberly L. Jones, PhD, Hopi Visions: Journey of the Human Spirit, Label text, 2018.

NOTES
  • Mogollon -- Mimbres, 1000–1130 (noted on TMS), updated by KJones on 10/05/16, 10/06/16, 05/11/17, 02/24/17, and 10/19/17.
  • Fun Facts Source: TMS, Notes/Text Entries, Attribution, data entered by Natalie Davis, 08/06/1992; TMS, Notes/Text Entries, Attribution, data entered by David Alcoze, 06/09/1992.
  • Noted in TMS, Notes / Text Entries, Other (see remarks) -- Provenance Note: Elizabeth M. and Duncan E. Boeckman are the anonymous donors. The main source for this provenance is Acquisition Record (dated December 21, 1990, copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records Object File, Confidential).
Catalogue essays

Artist/designers

Cultures
Mogollon: AAT: 300016929
Mimbres: AAT: 300016943
Southwestern North American styles (Pre-Columbian): AAT: 300016920

Geography 
Southwest (general region): TGN: 4010660
Mogollon Mountains (mountains): TGN: 1109357
Mimbres (river): TGN: 1127171

Process/materials
ceramic (material): AAT: 300235507
clay: AAT: 300010439
slip (clay): AAT: 300010459
slip glaze: AAT: 300015110
paint (coating): AAT: 300015029
modeling (forming): AAT: 300053130
coiling (pottery technique): AAT: 300053903
firing (technique): AAT: 300053887

Historical periods

Individuals

Subject terms
vessels (containers): AAT: 300193015
bowls (vessels): AAT: 300203596
serving dishes: AAT: 300198294
ritual vessels: AAT: 300265801
portable: AAT: 300256252
figures (representations): AAT: 300189808
standing: AAT: 300239500
animals (Animalia kingdom): AAT: 300249395
birds (animals): AAT: 300266506
birds (motifs): AAT: 300375751
turkey (animal/bird/meleagris genus): AAT: 300266497
feathers (animal components): AAT: 300400474
feather (material): AAT: 300011809
wings (animal components): AAT: 300375053
myth: AAT: 300201023
mythology (literary genre): AAT: 300055985
mythical or legendary beings: AAT: 300375725
humans (homo sapiens species): AAT: 300265711
creation (doctrinal concept): AAT: 300069002
floods (natural events): AAT: 300054731
underworld (doctrinal concept): AAT: 300343823
tree of life (general motif / axis mundi / cosmic axis / world axis / world tree): AAT: 300312112
water: AAT: 300011772
black (color): AAT: 300130920
white (color): AAT: 300129784
geometric motifs: AAT: 300009764
lines (geometric concept): AAT: 300056279
circles (plane figures): AAT: 300055627
zigzags (geometric patterns): AAT: 300165028
frets (pattern): AAT: 300010155
stepped frets (meanders (patterns)/motifs): AAT: 300010171
fretwork: AAT: 300165040
checker pattern (checkerboard): AAT: 300010111
Mimbres Black-on-white (ceramic type / Southwestern North American style): AAT: 300016945
cracks: AAT: 300209168
breaking (broken / destruction / process): AAT: 300053083
funerary objects: AAT: 300234126

RELATED OBJECTS 

PROVENANCE 
From 1990: Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, anonymous gift [1], [2], [3], [4]

[1] The main source for this provenance is Acquisition Record (dated December 21, 1990, copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records Object File, Confidential). Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.

[2] The main source for this provenance is Deed of Gift (dated December 23, 1990, copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records Object File, Confidential). Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.

[3] The Foundation for the Arts is a non-profit corporation created as a title-holding entity to serve the people of Dallas but to operate independently of the City. The Dallas Museum of Art (at its own cost) is responsible for the care, storage, insurance, conservation and maintenance of the collection, and agrees to maintain the highest museum standards in the management and handling of the Foundation’s collection. The title to all works of art purchased or otherwise acquired by the Foundation for the Arts is retained by the Foundation.

[4] See Collections Records Digital Object File.

AUDIO ASSETS 

VIDEO ASSETS

IMAGE ASSETS

WEB RESOURCES 

ARCHIVAL RESOURCES

FUN FACTS

TEACHING IDEAS

RULES
Apply to objects where number equals 1990.217.FA

Category
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General Description
 
Mogollon populations domesticated turkeys from around 600 CE, keeping them primarily for their feathers. The painter of this bowl illustrates a turkey with abstracted staff head, expanded wings covered with a checker pattern, and a series of lines and fretwork on the body.

According to certain accounts among populations of the US Southwest, people emerged into the current world through an opening (sipapupuni) in the earth. People and animals escaped the floods that were destroying the previous world by climbing a tree into the world above. The turkey was the last to emerge since they are slow and earthbound. The tips of the bird’s tail feathers were turned white by the foam of rising flood waters.  

Adapted from
Kimberly L. Jones, PhD, Hopi Visions: Journey of the Human Spirit, Label text, 2018.

Fun Facts

Archival Resources

Web Resources
 
Notes
  • Mogollon -- Mimbres, 1000–1130 (noted on TMS), updated by KJones on 10/05/16, 10/06/16, 05/11/17, 02/24/17, and 10/19/17.
  • Fun Facts Source: TMS, Notes/Text Entries, Attribution, data entered by Natalie Davis, 08/06/1992; TMS, Notes/Text Entries, Attribution, data entered by David Alcoze, 06/09/1992.
  • Noted in TMS, Notes / Text Entries, Other (see remarks) -- Provenance Note: Elizabeth M. and Duncan E. Boeckman are the anonymous donors. The main source for this provenance is Acquisition Record (dated December 21, 1990, copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records Object File, Confidential).
Catalogue essays

Artist/designers

Cultures
Mogollon: AAT: 300016929
Mimbres: AAT: 300016943
Southwestern North American styles (Pre-Columbian): AAT: 300016920

Geography 
Southwest (general region): TGN: 4010660
Mogollon Mountains (mountains): TGN: 1109357
Mimbres (river): TGN: 1127171

Process/materials
ceramic (material): AAT: 300235507
clay: AAT: 300010439
slip (clay): AAT: 300010459
slip glaze: AAT: 300015110
paint (coating): AAT: 300015029
modeling (forming): AAT: 300053130
coiling (pottery technique): AAT: 300053903
firing (technique): AAT: 300053887

Historical periods

Individuals

Subject terms
vessels (containers): AAT: 300193015
bowls (vessels): AAT: 300203596
serving dishes: AAT: 300198294
ritual vessels: AAT: 300265801
portable: AAT: 300256252
figures (representations): AAT: 300189808
standing: AAT: 300239500
animals (Animalia kingdom): AAT: 300249395
birds (animals): AAT: 300266506
birds (motifs): AAT: 300375751
turkey (animal/bird/meleagris genus): AAT: 300266497
feathers (animal components): AAT: 300400474
feather (material): AAT: 300011809
wings (animal components): AAT: 300375053
myth: AAT: 300201023
mythology (literary genre): AAT: 300055985
mythical or legendary beings: AAT: 300375725
humans (homo sapiens species): AAT: 300265711
creation (doctrinal concept): AAT: 300069002
floods (natural events): AAT: 300054731
underworld (doctrinal concept): AAT: 300343823
tree of life (general motif / axis mundi / cosmic axis / world axis / world tree): AAT: 300312112
water: AAT: 300011772
black (color): AAT: 300130920
white (color): AAT: 300129784
geometric motifs: AAT: 300009764
lines (geometric concept): AAT: 300056279
circles (plane figures): AAT: 300055627
zigzags (geometric patterns): AAT: 300165028
frets (pattern): AAT: 300010155
stepped frets (meanders (patterns)/motifs): AAT: 300010171
fretwork: AAT: 300165040
checker pattern (checkerboard): AAT: 300010111
Mimbres Black-on-white (ceramic type / Southwestern North American style): AAT: 300016945
cracks: AAT: 300209168
breaking (broken / destruction / process): AAT: 300053083
funerary objects: AAT: 300234126

RELATED OBJECTS 

PROVENANCE 
From 1990: Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, anonymous gift [1], [2], [3], [4]

[1] The main source for this provenance is Acquisition Record (dated December 21, 1990, copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records Object File, Confidential). Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.

[2] The main source for this provenance is Deed of Gift (dated December 23, 1990, copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records Object File, Confidential). Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.

[3] The Foundation for the Arts is a non-profit corporation created as a title-holding entity to serve the people of Dallas but to operate independently of the City. The Dallas Museum of Art (at its own cost) is responsible for the care, storage, insurance, conservation and maintenance of the collection, and agrees to maintain the highest museum standards in the management and handling of the Foundation’s collection. The title to all works of art purchased or otherwise acquired by the Foundation for the Arts is retained by the Foundation.

[4] See Collections Records Digital Object File.

AUDIO ASSETS 

VIDEO ASSETS

rules
Apply To
Objects
number
Equals
1990.217.FA
tags
birds (animals): AAT: 300266506
#draft
#completed
@Higgins
*Arts of the Americas
~American Indian
animals (Animalia kingdom): AAT: 300249395
%copyedited_Gail
ceramic (material): AAT: 300235507
clay: AAT: 300010439
funerary objects: AAT: 300234126
modeling (forming): AAT: 300053130
slip (clay): AAT: 300010459
slip glaze: AAT: 300015110
paint (coating): AAT: 300015029
coiling (pottery technique): AAT: 300053903
figures (representations): AAT: 300189808
standing: AAT: 300239500
%Archived
myth: AAT: 300201023
vessels (containers): AAT: 300193015
ritual vessels: AAT: 300265801
birds (motifs): AAT: 300375751
mythical or legendary beings: AAT: 300375725
geometric motifs: AAT: 300009764
heads (representations): AAT: 300262520
geometric patterns: AAT: 300165213
headdresses: AAT: 300046023
lines (geometric concept): AAT: 300056279
checker pattern (checkerboard): AAT: 300010111
Southwest (general region/United States): TGN: 4010660
United States (nation): TGN: 7012149
white (color): AAT: 300129784
abstraction: AAT: 300056508
wings (animal components): AAT: 300375053
circles (plane figures): AAT: 300055627
geometric shape: AAT: 300263819
firing (technique): AAT: 300053887
mythology (literary genre): AAT: 300055985
water: AAT: 300011772
staffs (staff weapon components): AAT: 300204653
step pattern: AAT: 300010229
zigzags (geometric patterns): AAT: 300165028
stepped frets (meanders (patterns)/motifs): AAT: 300010171
frets (pattern): AAT: 300010155
black (color): AAT: 300130920
bowls (vessels): AAT: 300203596
Mogollon: AAT: 300016929
Southwestern North American styles (Pre-Columbian): AAT: 300016920
Mimbres: AAT: 300016943
Mogollon Mountains (mountains/New Mexico/United States): TGN: 1109357
Mimbres (river): TGN: 1127171
fretwork: AAT: 300165040
cracks: AAT: 300209168
Mimbres Black-on-white (ceramic type / Southwestern North American style): AAT: 300016945
geometric abstraction: AAT: 300056509
serving dishes: AAT: 300198294
portable: AAT: 300256252
breaking (broken / destruction / process): AAT: 300053083
suns (stars): AAT: 300379806
feather (material): AAT: 300011809
creation (doctrinal concept): AAT: 300069002
underworld (doctrinal concept): AAT: 300343823
turkey (animal/bird/meleagris genus): AAT: 300266497
humans (homo sapiens species): AAT: 300265711
feathers (animal components): AAT: 300400474
floods (natural events): AAT: 300054731
tree of life (general motif / axis mundi / cosmic axis / world axis / world tree): AAT: 300312112
source file
object_notes_1_a-0035.xml.nores