Nampeyo of Hano, a Hopi Tewa, is considered the Matriarch of modern Hopi pottery. Beginning in the late 19th century and continuing until blindness stopped her from painting pots in the 1920s, Nampeyo produced many of the most beautiful pots made during this period.

Nampeyo was a master in all aspects of Hopi pottery making, from the digging of the best clay, the preparation and shaping of the clay, and the elegant painting of the design. She was an innovator within a relatively isolated community  that discouraged individual distinction from the community.

The following features, when considered together as a whole, all imply that Nampeyo was the likely maker of this beautiful pot: the graceful form of the jar, ending in a slightly rounded bottom, the slightly outward and gracefully curved rim, the solid black band below the rim, the division of the design field into 4 major quadrants, the beautifully painted "bird's wing" designs with interior vertical feather that alternate with a positive/negative rectangular box with 4 vertical lines that perhaps represent rain. This pot was clearly valued by its owners as it has been very well cared for over the years with only a very minor shallow 1/8" abrasion on the rim.