BLACK POTTERY

Black pottery, first developed nearly 7000 years ago, has grown into a sophisticated and exquisite art form produced by the artisans in Oaxaca. A 'glazeless' type of pottery, it is produced by using pure, fine and smooth red clay as raw materials, shaped skillfully by hand into graceful forms. A series of specialized techniques including drying, hand polishing, carving and finally a special sintering process produces pottery with a luster like that of metal. When tapped, it often produces a sound similar of that from a chime stone.