| Indian pottery, like that made by the Tarahumara and | | | | collection pieces but also for traditional cooking |
| Tigua Tribes, is a wonderful way to bring true | | | | purposes as well. Many of the Tarahumara pots or |
| southwestern style to your home decor. The rough | | | | ollas as they are called, are used to cook beans, boil |
| clay is not only very durable but is also what gives the | | | | corn with lime for making tortillas, roasting corn to |
| pottery that popular rustic look. The knowledge of | | | | make pinole, or for making the traditional corn beer |
| pottery making has been taught to each generation | | | | known as tesquino. The pots are simply designed in |
| and is still made the same way as it has been for | | | | different sizes and shapes that influence how that |
| centuries. If you are like me and love Native American | | | | particular pot will be used. It doesn't matter which style |
| pottery, you will definitely be thrilled when you hold a | | | | of pottery you purchase, whether to be used for |
| piece of this exquisite art in your hands, and consider | | | | cooking or just decorative purposes, you will certainly |
| the hard work that goes into creating such beautiful | | | | appreciate the hard work that goes into crafting Indian |
| pottery. | | | | pottery. |
| If you like collecting Indian pottery, you will come across | | | | You will find the way pottery is made very interesting. |
| many types and might even discover some that you | | | | Hand-crafted by the potter, the traditional coil and pinch |
| never knew existed. From rustic style pieces of | | | | method is used instead of the pottery wheel. Finding |
| Tarahumara pottery with dark earth tone colors to | | | | and grinding the clay to a fine powder is the first step |
| exquisitely painted art pieces, painted by the Tigua | | | | in pottery making. Water is then added to the clay |
| Indians, you will definitely not have a problem choosing | | | | powder and brought to the necessary thickness. A |
| something you like. The various types of pottery are | | | | piece is made for the base of the pot and then clay |
| thrilling for collectors because there is so much to | | | | coils are added to build up the sides. The instruments |
| choose from. The most interesting part of owning | | | | the Tarahumaras use to smooth the pot and scrape |
| genuine American Indian pottery is the knowledge that | | | | away roughness usually are just pieces of gourd, |
| it has always been part of Indian lifestyle. In recent | | | | stone or wood. They then fire the pot in a shallow hole |
| years, pottery collecting has seen a renewed interest | | | | after it has dried in the sun. The fired pot is then |
| due to the revival of traditional Mata Ortiz pottery | | | | painted using traditional items like a feather, the fingers |
| found in the northern state of Chihuahua, Mexico. | | | | or a cloth-wrapped stick and natural paints like red |
| Many pieces of Indian pottery can be used not only as | | | | ochre, iron oxide or hematite. |