Large Acoma Pottery Jar, Signed R.T.P.

Acoma Pueblo, NM, is the oldest continually inhabited community in the United States and consists of several villages, the best known being “Sky City.” It sits atop a 357-foot mesa that was inaccessible to enemy raids for centuries because there was only one way up, and that was a heavily guarded narrow stairway where one had to use handholds to ascend (an effective defense). Today there is a paved road to the top, however the pueblo remains in its original state with no running water, electricity, or telephone lines. A little more than 50 people live up on top of the mesa year round, with the remainder living in the farming villages below. Acoma Pueblo artists are known for their intricate fine black-line pots which are highly sought by collectors. Interestingly, every Acoma pot has an old pot incorporated in it. The potters take old pot shards and grind them up to use as temper for a new pot.