Birds, maize and stilized rain clouds are depicted on this container. Birds symbolize the contact between human beings and the spirit world. <Br>The Pueblo village of San Ildefonso has a long tradition of potting. Under Spanish rule and then United States rule the old potter's art declined. Cheap factory-made goods drove out the hand-crafted pottery. Because collectors were interested in Native American craftsmanship this art survived. In c. 1900 this interest contributed to a real revival of the old techniques and the local economy - in a state of collapse - flourished again. Today San Ildefonso houses a great number of potters, working in the traditional way, and their work finds a ready sale among collectors.