Posted 7 years ago
timjadams
(1 item)
Native American pottery.
Looking for help as to tribal origin of this pottery.
1.334 lbs. 605g.
4-5/8 in. high x 6-7/8 in. wide x 3-5/8 in. opening at mouth.
Round bowl like base.
Purchased from someone who claims to have purchased in Arizona.
Has chip at top of opening. Brush or light scrape marks in main tan colored body. Upper inside of opening smooth with rest of inside rough clay with hand or finger impressions.
Black and red painted detail is thick and slightly rough to the touch.
No, not Native American. Very well could have been purchased in Arizona, but that doesn't make it Hopi.
It's Mexican, from the village of Mata Ortiz, in northern Chihuahua. The pottery began appearing on the U.S. market in the late 1970s, when the Mexican government began cracking down on illegal pot hunting from the local Paquime Ruins, and potters turned to producing replicas, based on the style of the old Casas Grandes pots.
The "discovery" and promotion of the artistry of one of the potters, Juan Quezada, resulted in the rapid expansion of pottery at Mata Ortiz, until today there are over 400 potters, which has transformed the economy of the village. Most are now making what is considered Mexican Art Pottery, but a few still make the old-style pots.
Although the color of the clay is similar, Mata Ortiz pots have rounded bottoms, thinner walls, and designs distinctive to Mata Ortiz.
Thank you CanyonRoad for your assistance and information. Additional research on this type or style of pottery was educational.
TA