n the high plains of Chihuahua in northern Mexico, about 150 miles from the
Arizona, New Mexico or Texas borders, lies the small remote village of Mata
Ortiz, which has recently become known for its production of exquisite, handmade,
decorative pottery, reviving a lost ceramic tradition dating back to prehistoric times.
It's not a tradition that has been passed down through generations. Until 25 years
ago, no one in Mata Ortiz made pottery or knew much about it.
Just north of Mata Ortiz, near the village of Casas Grandes, there are pueblo style adobe ruins of the prehistoric Casas Grandes Culture called Paquime, once a magnificent city with multiple storied dwellings. Casas Grandes was part of a vast trading network which had affiliations with Mesoamerica and the early Pueblo cultures of what is now the American Southwest. One of the most important items of trade from the Casas Grandes region was pottery, much of which was produced at Paquime. A wealth of this pottery was unearthed when the ruins were excavated by the Amerind Foundation of Arizona in the late 1950's, under the direction of Dr. Charles DiPeso. It is this Casas Grandes pottery, this ancient tradition, which has given the potters of Mata Ortiz their inspiration.
uan Quezada is the person responsible for reviving this ceramic tradition, which has transformed the
village of Mata Ortiz. As a young boy, he explored the mountains and valleys of the region, finding
prehistoric artifacts, including pottery, potsherds, effigy figures and stone tools, all remnants of the
Casas Grandes Culture which had flourished in the region in the 13th and 14th centuries, and then
declined and disappeared before the Spaniards arrived. Knowing that the ancient potters had had
the resources and technology to create pottery, Juan began to work with clay, at first imitating the
ancient pieces, and then creating his own. He taught himself to make pottery through trial and error,
experimentation and observation, developing his own unique style using what is known as the tortilla
and coil method and eventually mastering the craft. He then shared this knowledge with his brothers
and sisters, who by now are all skilled potters. They, in turn, taught other people in the village. Now,
Mata Ortiz, a village of 2000 inhabitants, is experiencing an artistic explosion. There are currently
more than 300 potters and the number keeps growing. Each has developed his or her own unique
style, creating exquisite, thin-walled pots of amazing symmetry and intricate design, without the use of
potters' wheels or kilns.
