Sikyatki

Sikyatki, (Hopi: “Yellow House”), ruined pueblo extending over 10 to 15 acres (4 to 6 hectares) in present Navajo county, northeastern Arizona, U.S. The site was occupied by members of the Firewood, or Kokop, clan of the Hopi during the Regressive Pueblo stage (c. ad 1300–1700) of the Ancestral Pueblo culture. Archaeological exploration of the site in the 1890s revealed earthenware bowls, jars, and ladles decorated with distinctive polychrome designs and dating to the period between 1375 and 1625. The patterns, which are iconic representations of heads, beaks, wings, and feathers of birds, were produced with paints containing black, red, or white mineral pigments on a yellow or orange background that resulted from firing of an iron-bearing clay. The beauty of the decorations has inspired their imitation by 20th-century artisans.