Loading...
Online Exhibitions
Online Exhibition
Collection Spotlight: Catawba Pottery
Español
Online Exhibition

Collection Spotlight: Catawba Pottery

Catawba Indian pottery is coil built, pit fired earthenware produced by members of the Catawba Nation, a group of Native Americans on the Catawba Indian Reservation in York County, S.C. It is the oldest continuously practiced traditional art form found east of the Mississippi River and has helped preserve the cultural identity of the Catawba Indians.

Scroll on to see a selection of Catawba pottery in the collection of the South Carolina State Museum, then use the online collection database to search for more pieces.

Catawba Pottery Collection Highlights

Black and light grey wedding jug with a short basket handle that connects two long necks with elongated narrow spouts. The jug is decorated with incised feather forms on both sides with a single feather on the bowl that splits into two feathers along each spout.

This piece was made by Bill Harris, the current Chief of the Catawba Nation and an active potter utilizing the traditional methods of pottery production. He learned this traditional art form from his grandmother, Georgia Harris. Bill Harris is also the recipient of the State of South Carolina’s Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award.

Bill Harris, "Heron Effigy Pot," 2019. Pit-fired earthenware. Gift of Kathe and Tom Stanley.

Horse pot created by applying a horse head and neck to one side of a four footed pot and a tail-like handle on the opposite side. The pot is predominantly dark with orange accents around the edge of the opening and the tail. The horse's head and mane have incised detailing, as well as an incised blanket on either side of the opening. There is a smaller blanket incised around the handle.

This "Wedding Vase" was made by Catawba potter Earl Robbins (1922-2010), a skilled craftsman known for his attention to detail and the large size of his pots. According to a Catawba tradition, the bride would drink from one side and the groom the other, then they would throw it over their backs, breaking it. The number of broken pieces would then tell them how many children the couple would have.

Earl Robbins. “Catawba Wedding Vase,” 1992. Pit-fired earthenware. Donated by Kathe & Tom Stanley.

Tan pipe bowl shaped like an Indian head, with some black coloration on the face and side.

Earl Robbins. "Catawba Horse Pot," 1993. Pit-fired earthenware.

Large water jug with two indian head handles and a tall rounded rim. The body of the jar is covered in a paddled texture and the rim is decorated with small circles in a triangular pattern.

This exquisite work was crafted by Martha Jane Harris, a master Catawba potter. The molded pipe is a representation of King Haigler, or Nopkehee, the well-known chief of the Catawba Native American tribe from 1754 to 1763. 

Martha Jane White Harris (1854-1936). “Catawba Indian Head Pipe,” c. 1900. Pit-fired earthenware. Museum purchase.

Reddish-orange candleholder with a tall pointed handle and a flat, circular bowl base. The candleholder still has a small candle inside, with wax drippings down the front of the holder.

This effigy jar was made by Sara Lee Harris Ayers who was born on the Catawba Reservation in 1919. Large in scale, the jar stands nearly 23 inches tall and was commissioned by the State Museum in 1988. Ayers received the South Carolina Folk Heritage Award in 1989 and is quoted saying, "Pottery is my life. It has helped me through some of life's rocky times."

S. Ayers. “The King Haigler Effigy Jar”, 1988. Earthenware.

Small tan turtle effigy with a black burn mark on the top of the shell. Turtle has an incised shell decoration as well as incised facial features, and has four feet and a tail. One of his front feet is black in color, while the other four are tan.

This Catawba Candle holder was also created by Sara Lee Ayers and it still contains a small candle inside with dried wax dripping down the sides.

S. Ayers. “Catawba Candlestick with a Single Handle,” c.1980. Pit-fired earthenware. Donated by Alexander Patrick.

Illustration of large rectangular brick building at night with four floors and windows stretching end to end. The Columbia Canal is visible in the foreground of the illustration.

Mildred Blue (1922-1997) was the first Catawba to graduate from Rock Hill High School, she later started working for the Catawba Nation as tribal role coordinator. Her pottery skills were passed down from her great-great grandmother, Rhoda George Harris. Mildred is known for her detailed miniatures, particularly her turtles.

Mildred Blue, “Catawba Miniature Turtle Effigies,” 1992. Pit-fired earthenware. Gift of Kathe and Tom Stanley.

Explore More Catawba Pottery

The museum collection features a variety of Catawba pottery from large effigy jars to small animal miniatures and even pipes. Use the museum's online collection database to find more.

Search the Museum's Collection Online