Bowl with Interlocking Zigzag Motif in Four-Part Design on Interior Walls Possibly 950 - 1400

This bowl, made by the Ancestral Pueblo people, features an interlocking zigzag motif in a four-part design on its interior walls. The bowl gives us a glimpse into the complex social and cultural context of its creation. Made in the Southwestern United States, the geometric patterns and precise design suggest a highly structured society, with established traditions and shared belief systems. The use of specific visual codes, like the zigzag, may reflect the importance of natural elements such as lightning and mountains. These symbols could hold deep spiritual significance within the Pueblo communities. The bowl's creation and use were deeply rooted in the daily lives, rituals, and social structures of the Ancestral Pueblo people. Historians study artifacts like this bowl, along with archaeological findings, oral histories, and ethnographic data, to understand more about the social conditions and cultural values of the people who made and used them.