History of Mexican Clay Pottery
Mexico is a land of bright colors. Art, pottery, clothing; it doesn't matter. It's also a place where many different cultures have blended together over several centuries. These influences have helped to give Mexican pottery its own distinctive look. Even with advances in technology, pottery is still prepared with the same ancient techniques. It may be a more labor intensive process, but it allows the pottery to retain its ethnic character.
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Origins
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Pottery in Mexico has existed since Pre-Columbian times. The way of creating the different styles of clay pottery has remained relatively unchanged over the centuries. Clay is rolled into long ropes and this is coiled into the required shape. It's then smoothed over to give it a finished look. The fired clay is given a slip coating (a clay solution used to decorate pottery) over which a design is carved or painted. This is a simple way to create many different shapes.
Olmec Pottery
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One of the earliest cultural styles of Mexican pottery is that of the Olmec people (1500 B.C. till 800 A.D). Olmec-style pottery is generally categorized as a white-ware pottery, usually drinking vessels, that have cut-out etchings as decorations. There's archeological evidence that this style of pottery was exported throughout the region. This pottery became an emblem of social standing among other cultures and was also a way for the Olmec to spread their beliefs.
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Mayan Pottery
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Mayan clay pottery was covered in an orange or cream slip onto which figures were carved or painted in black or red. These figures were both natural and supernatural in design. Among these figures were jaguars, snakes, birds and monkeys; all animals native to Mexico. The types of pottery all tend toward household goods (bowls and jars) as well as more religious items (incense diffusers and cylindrical shapes).
Aztec Pottery
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Aztec pottery went through many changes during its history. In the beginning, Aztec pottery was very geometric in design. Over time, this became more naturalized and incorporated animal figures. The main color used was a black pigment on top of the orange pottery. Other colors used included white and red as well as orange. Dating the pottery is made even easier because of the Aztec custom of destroying all household goods every 52 years.
Spanish Influenced Pottery
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With the Spanish, a tin-glaze style of pottery was introduced to Mexico in the 16th century. This type of pottery is known as Talavera (a majolica earthenware pottery) and is still produced using the same technique in the Pueblo State of Mexico today. Talavera pottery has a similar design to that produced in Spain at the time and it's believed that Spanish monks from Talavera de la Reina taught the Mexicans how to create it.
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References
- Photo Credit mexican bowl image by Jim Mills from Fotolia.com
