Tecali

Tecali de Herrera is a town of pre-Columbus origin located 44 kilometers from the city of Puebla, Mexico. Its toponomic glyph in Nahuatl means "stone house," and it has produced onyx and marble objects for several centuries. The production dates back to its pre-Hispanic past, and the mastery achieved in the perfection of the work can be seen in pieces preserved in different museums throughout the country. Pink marble dish.

Benito works in the quarry where, with several years of experience, he makes complicated cuts in the blocks to produce objects of all kinds that will be incorporated into everyday life.

The onyx works are the result of a cultural continuity that has transcended time and the different historical periods of this population within the national context. Here, Máximo works as Benito's assistant.

The slabs that can be cut from the large blocks are of unparalleled beauty and better express the natural veining of the material. The range of shades is very extensive, from the whitest and honey hues to much darker tones. These slabs are increasingly being used in the market as table tops of all types and sizes, altars and translucent windows, to mention a few examples.

Ignacio Tlapanco poses next to one of his sculptures. The hands of these sculptors have no limits in terms of their imagination, resulting in infinite objects for all types of uses. Note the ceiling with translucent onyx plates.

A green onyx skeleton—a highly unusual color—born from Ignacio's imagination. This color of onyx is particularly beautiful and is used for special pieces. Here he shows us the creation process.

Onyx bowl, in which the different veins of the material can be appreciated. The artisan's skill is evident in having the sensitivity to adapt the nature of the stone in a way that results in a natural design. The artist's hand works in tandem with the material to achieve unique pieces.

Extracting the shape of the piece carved from rock of a certain size is the result of the skill of the craftsman who, using more modern tools today, can play on a more complicated design; in this case, an irregularly shaped platter in its first stage of creation.

It is surprising how work in the workshop continues to this day. Here, the stone carver is filling the natural orifices in the stone.

Polishing the piece is essential for giving it a finer finish, which is exclusively achieved by hand with wet sandpaper.

Currently, table and dining room objects are more common due to the diversification of the production of objects for multiple uses. Black onyx plate and cup.

General view of Taller José Meza. The artisans gradually learn this art, starting by preparing simple pieces. Over time, they make complex pieces that are true masterpieces.

Piece in the shape of a maguey stalk in reddish marble on a black marble table top. The mastery achieved in the complexity of forms to achieve truly elaborate pieces is evident in this magnificent decorative example.

Today, the work is made easier with the use of electric polishers; however, it does not take anything away from the skill of the artisan, who merely uses this new tool to shorten their production time.

The use of modern tools has been a great help to accelerate the process of producing onyx pieces in Tecali de Herrera.

The final step in the production process of a piece is polishing, done using wet sandpaper to highlight the natural beauty of the material.

As a final part of the process, an irregularly shaped and notched piece is displayed with great pride. Today, there is high demand for workers in this city, thanks to the demand for this type of products in the national and international market.

The variety of designs has resulted in dining room objects, with complete dishes in the various tones that this material allows. Today, it is possible to find a great variety of these pieces due to the high demand on both the national and international market. Pink marble dish.

Since the end of the century, the artisans of Tecali have figured out how to incorporate new designs, highlighting the natural beauty of this peculiar material to achieve a degree of mastery that is the symbol of pride for all of Puebla. Pieces on display whose distinctive feature is their contemporary design.

Irregular shaped honey-colored onyx cup. The variety of pieces that can be found is stunning, so much so that today Tecali is positioned within the state of Puebla as a synonym of excellence in stone work, and as a symbol of pride for all of Puebla.