| Indian pottery, like that made by the Tarahumara | | | | both cooking and decorating, you will certainly |
| and Tigua Tribes, is a wonderful way to bring true | | | | appreciate the hard work that goes into making |
| southwestern style to your home decor. The | | | | Indian pottery. You will find the way pottery is |
| earthen clay is not only able to withstand years | | | | made very fascinating. Made by hand, the potter |
| of use but is also what gives the pottery that | | | | uses the coil and pinch method without the use of |
| popular rustic look. The way of making this | | | | a pottery wheel. Pottery making is begun by first |
| beautiful pottery has been passed down | | | | finding the clay and then grinding it to a fine |
| throughout the generations and is still made today | | | | powder using a stone metate. Water is then |
| as it has been for centuries. If you are like me | | | | added to the clay powder and brought to the |
| and love American Indian pottery, you will | | | | right thickness. A piece is cut for the foundation |
| definitely like holding a piece of this unique art in | | | | of the pot and then clay coils are molded |
| your hands, imagining the effort that goes into | | | | together to build up the sides. The tools the |
| creating such unique pottery. If you are interested | | | | Tarahumaras use for cleaning and smoothing the |
| in collecting Indian pottery, you will find many | | | | pot are nothing more than pieces of gourd, stone |
| types and might even discover a few that you | | | | or wood. They then fire the pot in a shallow hole |
| never knew existed. From rustic style pieces of | | | | after it has dried in the open air. The fired pot is |
| Tarahumara pottery with dark earth tone colors | | | | then painted with traditional items like a feather, |
| to beautiful art pieces, made by the Tigua Indians, | | | | the fingers or a cloth-wrapped stick and a variety |
| you will definitely not have a problem choosing | | | | of paints like red ochre, iron oxide or hematite. |
| something you like. The variety of pottery is | | | | Owning American Indian pottery, whether a |
| exciting for collectors because there is so much | | | | roughly made Tarahumara pot, a brilliantly painted |
| available. The most interesting part of purchasing | | | | piece by the Tigua Indian Tribe, or sophisticated |
| genuine Native Indian pottery is the fact that it | | | | artwork like Mata Ortiz, is truly a wonderful |
| has always played a part in Indian lifestyle. | | | | privilege and allows you to experience American |
| Recently, pottery collecting has seen a renewed | | | | Indian culture in the most authentic way. You can |
| interest because of the revival of traditional Mata | | | | buy beautiful Indian pottery online, and in pottery |
| Ortiz pottery found in the northern part of | | | | shops and many stores that sell southwestern |
| Mexico. Many pieces of Indian pottery can be | | | | decorating accessories. If you want to be part of |
| used both to cook with or to add as part of a | | | | the exciting rebirth of Indian pottery collecting and |
| collection. Many of the Tarahumara pots or ollas | | | | add Native American style to your home, try |
| as they are known as, are used to prepare | | | | decorating with original pieces of hand-crafted |
| beans, corn and other traditional Native American | | | | Indian pottery. |
| dishes. The pots are utilitarian in design and come | | | | Craig Chambers is the director of Mission Del Rey |
| in various sizes and shapes that determine how | | | | and offers free information online about choosing |
| that particular pot will be used. No matter which | | | | Indian pottery for rustic style decorating. |
| type of pottery you buy, whether to be used for | | | | |