| Indian pottery, like that made by Tarahumara and | | | | tesquino. |
| Tigua Indians, is hand made using rough white, | | | | The ollas are utilitarian in design and come in |
| orange and brown clay found in the earth. The | | | | various sizes and shapes that define how that |
| earthen clay is not only very durable but is also | | | | particular pot will be used. It doesn't matter which |
| what gives the pottery that popular rustic look. | | | | kind of pottery you buy, whether for cooking or |
| The knowledge of pottery making has been | | | | decorative purposes, you will no doubt appreciate |
| passed down throughout the generations and is | | | | all the work that goes into crafting Indian pottery. |
| still made the same way as it has been for | | | | You will find the art of pottery making to be very |
| hundreds of years. If you are like me and love | | | | fascinating. Hand-crafted by the potter, the |
| Native American pottery, you will definitely like | | | | traditional coil and pinch method is used instead of |
| holding a piece of this unique art in your hands, | | | | the pottery wheel. Finding and grinding the clay to |
| imagining the work that goes into creating such | | | | a fine powder is the first step in pottery making. |
| unique pottery. | | | | Water is then added to the clay powder and |
| If you are thinking about collecting Indian pottery, | | | | brought to the desired consistency. |
| you will find many types and might even discover | | | | A piece is cut for the base of the pot and then |
| some that you never knew about. From rustic | | | | clay coils are used to build up the sides. The |
| style pieces of Tarahumara pottery with dark | | | | instruments the Tarahumaras use for cleaning and |
| earth tone colors to intricately detailed art pieces, | | | | smoothing the pot are nothing more than pieces |
| painted by the Tigua Indians, you will definitely not | | | | of gourd, stone or wood. They then heat the pot |
| have trouble finding something you like. | | | | in a shallow hole after it has had time to dry in |
| The various types of pottery are thrilling for | | | | the open air. It is then painted using various items |
| collectors because there is so much to choose | | | | like a feather, the fingers or a cloth-wrapped stick |
| from. The most exciting part of owning real | | | | and a variety of paints like red ochre, iron oxide |
| Native Indian pottery is the fact that it has | | | | or hematite. |
| always played a part in Native American lifestyle. | | | | Owning Native pottery, whether a roughly made |
| In recent years, collecting pottery has become | | | | Tarahumara olla, a beautifully painted piece by the |
| fashionable again because of the popularity of | | | | Tigua Indian Tribe, or elegant artwork like Mata |
| traditional Mata Ortiz pottery found in the Casas | | | | Ortiz, is definitely a great way to bring Native |
| Grandes region of Chihuahua, in the northern part | | | | American authenticity to your home. You can buy |
| of Mexico. | | | | southwest style Indian pottery online, and in |
| A lot of Indian pottery can be used both to cook | | | | pottery shops and many stores that sell |
| with or to add as part of a collection. Many of the | | | | southwestern decor and accessories. |
| Tarahumara pots or ollas as they are called, are | | | | If you want to be part of the exciting rebirth of |
| used to cook beans, boil corn with lime for making | | | | Indian pottery collecting and bring Native American |
| tortillas, roasting corn to make pinole, or for | | | | style to your home, try decorating with original |
| making the traditional corn beer known as | | | | pieces of handmade Indian pottery. |