The Mexica were skilled potters, and they produced a wide range of vessels, figurines, and other objects in clay. The Mexica pottery was typically painted in bright colors, and it was decorated with images of the gods, of the calendar, and of everyday life. The Mexica had a sophisticated system for the production of pottery, and they developed a number of techniques for the shaping, the firing, and the decoration of the vessels.
The Materials of the Pottery
The Mexica used a variety of materials in their pottery, and the most important was the clay, which was obtained from local sources. The Mexica used two main types of clay: a fine-grained clay for the high-quality vessels, and a coarser clay for the everyday vessels. The Mexica also used a variety of tempering materials, including sand, crushed shell, and crushed volcanic rock, to make the clay more workable and to prevent the vessels from cracking during the firing.
The Mexica also used a variety of pigments for the decoration of the pottery, and the most important were the mineral pigments, including iron oxide for red, manganese dioxide for black, and various other minerals for other colors. The Mexica also used organic pigments, including the dye from the cochineal insect, for some of the more vibrant colors.
The Coiling Method
The Mexica used the coiling method for the shaping of the vessels, and this involved rolling the clay into long coils and then stacking the coils on top of each other to form the vessel. The coils were then smoothed and shaped, and the vessel was allowed to dry before being fired in a kiln. The coiling method was a traditional technique that had been used in Mesoamerica for thousands of years, and the Mexica had refined the technique to a high level of sophistication.
The Mexica also used a number of other techniques for the shaping of the vessels, including the slab method, in which the clay was rolled into thin slabs and then shaped into the vessel, and the molding method, in which the clay was pressed into a mold to form the vessel. The most skilled potters used a combination of techniques to produce the most elaborate vessels.
The Firing of the Pottery
The Mexica fired their pottery in kilns, which were typically made of stone or clay. The kilns were heated with wood, and the temperature was carefully controlled to ensure that the pottery was fired at the right temperature. The firing was a critical step in the production of the pottery, and the temperature had to be high enough to harden the clay but not so high as to cause the clay to melt or to crack.
The Mexica typically fired the pottery at a temperature of about 800 to 1000 degrees Celsius, which was sufficient to harden the clay and to make the pottery durable. The Mexica also developed a technique called reduction firing, in which the oxygen in the kiln was reduced, which produced a distinctive black color in the pottery. The technique was used to produce the blackware, which was a distinctive styles of Mexica pottery.
The Decoration of the Pottery
The Mexica decorated their pottery with a wide range of designs, and the most common were the images of the gods, of the calendar, and of everyday life. The decoration was typically applied before the firing, and the pigments were mixed with a binder to make them adhere to the surface of the vessel. The most common colors were red, black, white, and orange, and the colors were typically applied in a polychrome style, with multiple colors used in the same vessel.
The Mexica also used a number of decorative techniques, including incision, in which the design was carved into the surface of the vessel, and stamping, in which the design was pressed into the surface using a stamp. The most elaborate vessels used a combination of techniques, and the most skilled potters were able to produce vessels of great beauty and sophistication.
The Survival of the Mexica Pottery
Many of the Mexica pottery techniques have survived in the modern Mexican pottery tradition, and the modern Mexican potters continue to use many of the techniques of their Mexica ancestors. The modern Mexican pottery, with its bright colors, its elaborate designs, and its distinctive styles, is a direct descendant of the Mexica tradition, and it continues to shape the Mexican craft tradition.
The modern Mexican pottery is also an important symbol of the Mexican national identity, and it is widely recognized as one of the distinctive elements of the Mexican craft tradition. The survival of the Mexica pottery tradition is evidence of the lasting influence of the Mexica culture, and it is a reminder of the cultural inheritance of the Mexica.
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