Marie + Julian
The Ancient Roots of the Avanyu

Chimayo Trading Staff Report | January 2026

Maria Martinez (1887–1980) and her husband Julian Martinez (1879–1943), from San Ildefonso Pueblo in New Mexico, resurrected the iconic black-on-black pottery style that defines much of Pueblo ceramic art today. Maria is undoubtedly one of the best-known and most influential Native potters of the 1900s. She became famous for her creative pottery while traveling to museums, The World Fairs, The Whitehouse on several occasions and other events throughout her lifetime.

We are very pleased to offer this very rare and exceptionally large gunmetal colored black on black avanyu plate ca.1928-1932, 14.5” in diameter, and signed “Marie + Julian”. Come to Chimayo Trading in Ranchos de Taos or visit us online at chimayotrading.com to add this new arrival from Maria Martinez to your collection.

Gunmetal Grey on Black Avanyu Plate
ca.1928-1932
1.75″ depth x 14.5″ diameter

Maria learned to make pottery from her aunt Nicolasa Montoya. Around 1919-1920, Maria and her husband Julian, reinvented the ancient “black-on-black” style of pottery. This unique process allowed matte designs to be painted on a stone-polished surface. At the time, this unique and distinctive style of pottery quickly became a success, and by the 1930s, it was made by nearly every potter at San Ildefonso Pueblo. Authentic pieces signed “Marie + Julian” (one of Maria’s earliest signatures) are especially prized.

Black-on-black plates with avanyu designs are classic examples of their collaboration (primarily from the 1920s–1940s, before Julian’s death in 1943). These plates often feature the serpent encircling the center, with its body curving elegantly across the polished surface. This design is said to have been resurrected from a pictogrpagh from an ancient cave in Bandelier. They are highly collectible, appearing in major museums like the Denver Art Museum, Smithsonian, and Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The avanyu is a beloved motif in their work: a horned or plumed water serpent symbolizing flowing water of the Rio Grande and it’s tributaries, lightning (often shown as a jagged tongue), and life-giving rain—central to Tewa Pueblo spirituality as a guardian of water sources in all its forms. Water is sacred in the arid Southwest, as the source of life, renewal, fertility, and sustenance for crops.

Julian Martinez is widely credited with being the first at San Ildefonso to adapt the avanyu for pottery decoration. drawing from an ancient pictograph encountered during archeological excavations (including at ancestral sites like Bndelier and Puye). Previously, the symbol was more restricted to religious contexts (e.g., kiva paintings or ceremonial use). By placing it on black-on-black wares for wider appreciation, Julian and Maria helped popularize it while revitalizing traditional designs.

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#1 Saint Francis Church Plaza
Ranchos de Taos, NM 87557

575.758.0504

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