Choosing Indian Pottery To Enhance Unique Rustic Home Decorating

Indian pottery, like that made by Tarahumara and Tigua Indians, is hand made using rough white, orange and brown clay found in the earth. The earthen clay is not only utilitarian in design but is also what gives the pottery that popular rustic charm. The knowledge of pottery making has been taught to each generation and is still made today as it has been for hundreds of years. If you are like me and love Native American pottery, you will definitely be excited to hold a piece of this unique art in your hands, imagining the work that goes into creating such beautiful pottery.

If you are thinking about collecting Indian pottery, you will come across many kinds and might even discover some that you never knew existed. From rustic style pieces of Tarahumara pottery with dark earth tone colors to beautiful art pieces, made by the Tigua Indians, you will definitely not have trouble deciding on something you like. The variety of pottery is thrilling for collectors because there is so much available. The most interesting part of purchasing authentic American Indian pottery is the knowledge that it has always been part of Native American lifestyle. In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in pottery collecting due to the popularity of traditional Mata Ortiz pottery found in the northern part of Mexico.

Many pieces of Indian pottery can be used for both collection and cooking purposes. Many of the Tarahumara pots or ollas as they are called, are used to cook simple meals that consist mainly of beans and corn accompanied by hand-made tortillas. The pots are designed simply for use and come in a variety of sizes and shapes that determine how the pot will be used. It doesn't matter which style of pottery you choose, whether for cooking or decorative purposes, you will definitely appreciate all the work that goes into crafting Indian pottery.

You will find the way pottery is made very intriguing. Made by hand, the traditional coil and pinch method is used instead of the pottery wheel. Pottery making is begun by first finding the clay and then grinding it to a fine powder using a stone metate. Water is then added to the clay powder and brought to the necessary thickness. A piece is made for the bottom of the pot and then clay coils are added to build up the sides. The instruments the Tarahumaras use to smooth the pot and scrape away roughness usually are just pieces of gourd, stone or wood. They then heat the pot in a shallow hole after it has dried in the sun. It is then painted with traditional items like a feather, the fingers or a cloth-wrapped stick and natural paints like red ochre, iron oxide or hematite.

Owning Indian pottery, whether a rustic style Tarahumara pot, a beautifully painted piece by the Tigua Indians, or elegant artwork like Mata Ortiz, is definitely a wonderful privilege and enables you to experience Native culture in the most authentic way. You can buy southwest style Indian pottery online, and in pottery shops and many stores that sell southwestern decorating accessories. If you would like to be part of the age-old art form of Indian pottery and bring Native style to your decor, try decorating with authentic pieces of hand-crafted Indian pottery.