May 2004–April 2007
This exhibition featured artifacts made and used by the Western Anasazi, a branch of Ancestral Peublo people who lived near Kanab, Utah in Prehistoric times. Said to be from a single site, these artifacts provide a rare glimpse of life among a small, localized group of people over several generations.
Extraordinay pottery vessels, painstakingly reconstructed from fragments, are highlights of the exhibition. A bowl with a rare stencil design, a pitcher cherished as an heirloom, and bowls apparently warped for unknown purposes lead us to contemplate the human factors that guided pottery production and aesthetics at this site.
Stone and shell ornaments, dozens of projectile points, spindle whorls, rare polished tools, and gaming pieces have survived the ravages of time to provide insights into the daily and ritual life of the people. A variety of artifacts, seemingly lifted straight out of daily tasks, suggest gender roles were survival strategies in a harsh world-poignant reminders of how much life is driven by shared human needs.
