Olla

Pottery making at Po-woh-ge-oweenge (San Ildefonso Pueblo) was impacted in different ways than at Haaku (Acoma). When the Santa Fe Trail was opened in 1821, enamelware and metal containers became available, causing the production of pottery to decline. Even so, there still remained a few potters who were producing various types of pottery. Two of these potters were a husband and wife team named Martina and Florentino Montoya. Their signature innovation was the extension of the white slip over the entire surface, including the underbody and concave base. The Montoya's had close ties to the Kotyit (Cochiti Pueblo) and are credited with introducing the Cochiti slip to Po-woh-ge-oweenge. This slip can be quickly polished with a rag and was preferred over the native slip, which required tedious stone polishing.