Jemez Pueblo Nativity

Santana Seonia depicts the nativity inside a kiva, the ceremonial chamber for New Mexico pueblos. Typically, kivas are round. This one has steps to the top and a ladder to descend into the chamber. A small pottery angel sits on top of the roof. Mary and Joseph and Baby are shown in the cut out side of the kiva. Three wise men are kneeling outside the kiva, and each one holds a pueblo style gift. A shepherd with a staff and four animals are also outside. Then animals outside the humans. The kiva is three inches tall.

Each piece is hand-formed from clay found at the pueblo, sun-dried and fired in a Horno oven, then painted in the pueblo’s traditional shades of brown, black, grey and rust. 

Name: Jemez Pueblo Nativity
Artist: Santana Seonia
Country: USA, New Mexico
Material: Clay, Paint
Height: 3"
Width: 4"
Number of Pieces: 14
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, three magi, an angel, a a shepherd and 2 sheep, donkey and an ox, a kiva and a ladder
Acquired: 2014

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