According to Hopi tradition, the Ant People (Anu Sinom) were benevolent, industrious, and ant-like beings who saved humanity twice by sheltering them in underground, subterranean cities during global cataclysms of fire and ice. These legends, part of the Hopi creation and apocalypse narrative, describe the Ant People as providers who fed and taught the Hopi survival skills, including storage and sustainability, when the surface world was destroyed.

Potential Origins and Styles

Hopi/Tewa Style: The polychrome design (black and red on a yellow/cream base) and stylized avian or geometric motifs are hallmarks of Hopi-Tewa pottery, notably seen in the works of legendary artists like Nampeyo and her descendants.

Motif: The central design appears to be a depiction of the Anu Sinom myth and flood complete with what appear to be flooded underground chambers from which ant like figures