American Indian Pottery, such as Hopi pottery, Acoma pottery, San Ildefonso pottery, or other pueblo pottery is a by product of a more sedentary culture.  Too heavy to be transferred, too labor intensive to re-make, it has become synonymous with pueblo.  Though every pueblo may have a different look and feel, they all use a coil method.  This differs from what Americans typically call 'studio pottery' in that there is no potter's wheel.  Instead, clay is coiled round and round, smoothed, decorated, and fired. 
This is not a new concept.  The Anasazi, or ancient ones, left shards of their pottery. Additionally, other cultures have used pottery as both a utilitarian vessel and a ceremonial vessel.  What is unique is how it came to become an artistic form.  With the advent of trains came tourism.  As a result, entrepreneurs quickly picked up on the concept of tourist trinkets.  Tourists wanted to take something as a reminder and that became pottery.  Little trinkets that could be packed away. 

there are some exceptions.  As is the case today, Native American pottery has become an art form.  The 'matriarchs' of pueblos typically got the ball rolling for the new generations to follow.  Among the matriarchs (in my opinion) can be counted: Maria Martinez (San Ildefonso pueblo), Paqua Naha or Frogwoman (Hopi), Lucy Lewis (Acoma pueblo), and Alice Cling (Navajo).  They are known not only for their artistic accomplishments, but for their leadership and economic stewardship.