Mudhead Old Style Katsina by Clark Tenakhongva (Hopi) - SOLD

Clark Tenakhongva carved this Mudhead doll in the style of his grandparents dating from the early 1900s.  It is painted with natural paints made from plant dyes and minerals that are thick and textured, and sealed with a material known as "tuuma" that makes it difficult to rub off the pigment.  This style of doll is usually hung on the wall, and this one has a hanging string for this purpose.

The Mudheads, or Koyemsi, are considered to be clowns, but their  common roles are as interlocutors between katsinas and humans, announcing impending events, translating requests, and giving directions.  They are thought to have originated at the Zuni Pueblo, and versions of them are found in all of the Pueblos. 

Height 12", width 5"