Dance of the Flyers
5” in height X 13” in diameter
This piece won 3rd place in an overall competition at the 1999 High Country Arts Festival in Eagle Nest, New Mexico and the design framed painting under glass won a merit award at the 2000 Lawrence Indian Arts Show in Lawrence, Kansas. This red earthenware bowl features seven different figures “dancing” around the flames of a ceremonial fire. These dancers were inspired by engravings on large shells from the Spiro Mounds located in eastern Oklahoma. Though the site was first inhabited as early as 900 AD it truly flourished between 1200 AD and 1350 AD. But, for unknown reasons the Spiro Mound site was abandoned by its inhabitants by 1450 AD. The Spiro site, now an Oklahoma Archeological Park, covers approximately 140 acres containing a dozen “Mississippian Period” mounds.
There is also a painting based on this motif.