Mata Ortiz Mexico Polychrome Pot Clay Pottery Hand Painted Casas Grandes Artist

Description: Mata Ortiz Mexico Polychrome Pottery Snake Design Hand Painted Pot by Casas Grandes Artist Mata Ortiz pottery is internationally known for its elegant form, precision designs and beautiful colors. Each pot is hand built and painted by the artist and then fired using cottonwood tree bark. Mata Ortiz (also known as Casas Grandes) pottery pieces are meticulously hand crafted and painted in traditional designs by artisans in Chihuahua, Mexico. This pot is an excellent example of the polychrome style that uses beautiful earth tones like natural tan, charcoal and deep red. The paint in places is faded and very dry and shows wear. One critical element to the development of ceramics in Mata Ortiz is its proximity to the Paquime' or Casa Grandes archeological site. Casas Grandes (Spanish for Great Houses; also known as Paquimé) is the contemporary name given to a pre-Columbian archaeological zone and its central site, located in northwestern Mexico in the modern-day Mexican State of Chihuahua. It is one of the largest and most complex sites in the region. Developed as multi-storied dwellings about 1350 CE after earlier settlement beginning after 1130 CE, the community was abandoned approximately 1450 CE. Regarded as one of the most significant archaeological zones in the northwestern region, Casas Grandes is located in a wide, fertile valley on the Casas Grandes or San Miguel River, 35 miles (56 km) south of Janos and 150 miles (240 km) northwest of the state capital, the city of Chihuahua. The settlement relied on irrigation to support its agriculture. Casas Grandes has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is under the purview of INAH. Mata Ortiz is a small village in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, less than 100 miles from the US-Mexico border. The pueblo has a population of approximately 2,000 people and is within the municipality of Casa Grandes in a wide fertile valley, which has long been inhabited by indigenous people. The ancient ruins of Casas Grandes are located nearby. The Mata Ortiz pots are formed by only the potter's hands; No pottery wheels are used. The clay is obtained locally from around the village using pick-axes and shovels. The paints used are also natural. The pottery is dung or cottonwood-fired on the ground, not in a kiln. Lastly, each piece is signed by the artist. Casas Grandes (Mata Ortiz) pottery began as a revival of ancient traditions, but has developed a distinctive artistic style all it's own. Mata Ortiz pottery is a recreation of the pre Hispanic pottery found in and around the archeological site of Paquime' in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. It is named after the modern town of Mata Ortiz, which is near the site and where a man named Juan Quezada Celado learned on his own to recreate this ancient pottery, then went on to update it. By the mid 1970s, Quezada was selling his pottery and teaching family and friends to make it when it was able to penetrate the U.S. markets thanks to efforts by Spencer MacCallum and later Walt Parks. By the 1990s, the pottery was being shown in museums and other cultural institutions and sold in fine galleries. The success of the pottery, which is sold for its aesthetic rather than its utilitarian value, has brought the town of Mata Ortiz out of poverty, with most of its population earning income from the industry, directly or indirectly. This traditional clay pot from the Paquimé archaeological zone is of excellent quality. Signed by Artist Rene H. of the valley of Casas Grandes of the city of Mata Ortiz, from the State of Chihuahua Mexico. A whimsical addition to your Mexican pottery collection or a gift for a collector. Measurements: (Approximately) Height: 4 1/2 inches Width: 6 inchesDepth: 6 inches Diameter at rim: 3 5/8 inches Circumference at widest: 20 1/4 inches Weight: 1.2 pounds Condition: Well cared for pot. No chips, cracks or repairs. The rounded base of this vintage pot and blue "Hecho en Mexico" sticker show wear. There is evidence that another sticker was on the side of the pot but was removed. The paint in places is fades and very dry and shows wear. Please see photos for condition. We pack with care. SPEEDY SHIPPING!

Price: 44.98 USD

Location: Tucson, Arizona

End Time: 2024-08-17T19:03:01.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD