Los Reyes Metzontla: Reflections of a World in Pottery Pieces (part 2)

Ceramic processing is one of the oldest industries of humanity. In every corner of the world, human groups learned how to use the earth to form with their hands the necessary tools for preparing and eating their food.

Our ancient history is littered with examples of the ceramic industry that at different times and in different regions our previous civilizations developed.

The Mixteca people of Puebla brought to the world a kind of polychrome pottery with a style that was greatly appreciated in Central America and recognized in the world as a hallmark of pre-Hispanic cultures. This same region is the cradle of burnished pottery of Los Reyes Metzontla.

Heiress of old stylistic and technical traditions, the production of this earthenware sustains the economy of a community that has combined shapes, colors and functions from the old and new worlds with the practicality and taste of the kitchen and table of the modern world.

The production of burnished earthenware has a long tradition in pre-Columbian America. One example is the Texcoco pottery in the Mexican Empire. Wax treatment of this type of vessel ensures that they are "cured" and ready to contain liquid foods.

Its surface color is due to the wide variety of minerals contained in the rocks of the mountains. The colors of this earthenware can have spots caused by the air during cooking, a seal of its authentic artisan origin.

Los Reyes Metzontla produces crockery of different shapes and endless uses. The shapes are reminiscent of the gourd bowls, earthenware pots and jugs that archeology reveals to us from the pre-Hispanic cultures, mixed with pitchers, bowls and plates from external influences accumulated over the centuries.

Patojo vessels, tureens, pitchers and salsa dishes, the continents and history merge into the burnished earthenware of Metzontla. Its beauty and versatility harmonize ancestral esthetics and utility with the taste and practicality of contemporary life.

These pieces can be found in prestigious galleries and shops in the cities of Puebla and Mexico. The ideal place to acquire burnished clay is the Popolocan community center of artisans and potters in Los Reyes Metzontla A.C.

This site, built with resources from a national award and self-managed by the community, offers local production. All shapes, colors and sizes are possible in the hands of this creative community.

Artisans produce and market their own goods. The work of a workshop can support up to ten families in the population. They are simple humans, women and men who with ingenuity and pride offer us a reflection of the world in the brightness of its burnished clay.