Micaceous Pottery of Northern New Mexico

Potsherds that were excavated from Taos Pueblo indicate that pottery from micaceous clay dates as far back as A.D. 1300.

Micaceous pots are the last utilitarian type of pottery made in Southwest pueblos. This pottery is unpainted and traditionally used as cooking vessels.

The mica in the clay makes a strong, durable pot that heats evenly and stays warm longer, making food preparation easier.

Some even say that food made in micaceous pots tastes better!
 

Since micaceous clay has traditionally been used to make cooking pots, vessels made from this clay were not seen as art until recently.

In the pueblos of northern New Mexico, neither potters, traders, nor tourists saw micaceous pottery as collectible objects, leaving the pottery forms and usage mostly unchanged.

Cooking pots, tea kettles, pitchers, and cups continue to be a common sight in pueblo homes.

Micaceous pots can even be used in the microwave.

Today, about half of the micaceous pottery made is used in the home or for ceremonies; the other half is made as art.

Each potter has his or her own method to process raw clay. Typically, the clay is first soaked in water to form a liquid slip. Rocks or other impurities are strained out. The clean clay is left to dry, then ground to a fine powder. Water is added again, and this process is repeated until the clay fits the potter’s needs.

“Temper” does not need to be added to micaceous clay because of the mica in the clay. Temper is ground rock, sand, or potsherds that are added to clay to prevent shrinking and cracking, and to provide strength when forming a pot.

Micaceous pots are often decorated with simple impressed or molded designs. The mica creates a beautiful glow, so surfaces are not polished or painted.

Once the clay has dried, the potter may sand or scrape the surface to further smooth and shape it before firing.

Potters in the Taos and Picuris Pueblos, both centers for micaceous pottery, did not feel the same pressure as those in pueblos closer to Santa Fe.

In the face of outside influence from Euroamerican traders and collectors, micaceous pottery remained unchanged and traditional pottery forms continued to be made.

Visitors and pueblo residents saw the unpainted micaceous pottery as useful, but not as art or collectible objects.

While traditional forms of micaceous cooking pots continued unchanged, some potters who lived closer to the railroad and highways were encouraged by Euroamerican traders to make items for the growing tourist market.

Euroamerican traders in Santa Fe encouraged mass production of novelty items. Stores catering to tourists opened, and mail-order catalogs carried a wide variety of pueblo pottery novelty items.

These novelty items – including animal figurines – were popular from the late 1800s to the 1930s.

Novelty pottery items could be quickly made in large quantities. They were sold to tourists directly or through Euroamerican traders who influenced the forms and subjects of these items.

Novelty items were packed in large barrels, a cheap method to ship large quantities of items by rail to buyers all over the country.

Often, the artist’s name and Pueblo of origin were lost in the mass production.

In the 1980s and 1990s, potters began exploring traditional pottery forms in new, creative ways.

Experimenting with new shapes and decoration micaceous pottery was beginning to attract interest from the art world.

A large micaceous jar won “Best of Show” at the 1992 Santa Fe Indian Market, a first for micaceous pottery.

Even traditional cooking vessels can sell for hundreds of dollars!

Today, micaceous pottery is recognized as one of the great pottery traditions of the Southwest.

Traditional pieces are still made and used, while stunning art pieces are found in galleries and art collections worldwide.