Ancient Pottery, Current Passion

People often ask me how I became interested in museums and history. The answer has never eluded me, in fact, I remember the exact event that inspired it – a trip to the SRP Hohokam gallery, shortly after my family moved to Phoenix in the 1970s. I don’t know what took us to the SRP headquarters, but I remember the story. Ancient people, advanced technology, and the belief at the time, a mysterious disappearance. In the decades that followed, my love for history grew, but I never really studied the Hohokam in-depth.

This fall, I have three contracted projects that bring me back to that first excitement for the prehistory of the Sonoran Desert. With these projects I am able to dig into new research and gain an appreciation for not only the lifestyles of the Hohokam, but the material culture they left behind as well.  One of the projects Museum Pros is working up is a new pottery exhibit for the City of Tolleson Public Library. Some years ago, the library was gifted an extensive Native American collection. With the construction of a new civic center, the collection is being moved and a new exhibit created.

What an opportunity for us! We are sifting through both tribal and archaeological material, and working with Native artists to create a new exhibit that celebrates the artistry of the ancient as well as the continuity found in contemporary O’odham art. Last week I began inventorying and packing pots, and that initial wave of enthusiasm I felt in the 70s came rushing back.  I love the feel of the pots and the smell of the clay. Sometimes, if you look closely enough, you can see tooling marks on the pots where they were smoothed. When it hits you that you are holding something made by a person so many years ago it’s truly magical.

The new Tolleson Library opens very soon. When I am not mesmerized by the gravity of telling this story, I am panicking over the tight deadline. Still, I wouldn’t trade this work for anything. When I worked at Heritage Square and had a particularly trying day, I would remind myself that this work is not rocket science. Even so, if it can influence one opinion or inspire one young person, every tight deadline is worth the effort.