Try Indian Pottery For Unique Southwest Interior Design

Indian pottery, like that made by the Tarahumara and Tigua Tribes, is a wonderful way to bring true southwestern style to your home decor. The earthen clay is not only able to withstand years of use but is also what gives the pottery that popular rustic look. The way of making this beautiful pottery has been passed down throughout the generations and is still made today as it has been for centuries. If you are like me and love American Indian pottery, you will definitely like holding a piece of this unique art in your hands, imagining the effort that goes into creating such unique pottery.

If you are interested in collecting Indian pottery, you will find many types and might even discover a few that you never knew existed. From rustic style pieces of Tarahumara pottery with dark earth tone colors to beautiful art pieces, made by the Tigua Indians, you will definitely not have a problem choosing something you like. The variety of pottery is exciting for collectors because there is so much available. The most interesting part of purchasing genuine Native Indian pottery is the fact that it has always played a part in Indian lifestyle. Recently, pottery collecting has seen a renewed interest because of the revival of traditional Mata Ortiz pottery found in the northern part of Mexico.

Many pieces of Indian pottery can be used both to cook with or to add as part of a collection. Many of the Tarahumara pots or ollas as they are known as, are used to prepare beans, corn and other traditional Native American dishes. The pots are utilitarian in design and come in various sizes and shapes that determine how that particular pot will be used. No matter which type of pottery you buy, whether to be used for both cooking and decorating, you will certainly appreciate the hard work that goes into making Indian pottery.

You will find the way pottery is made very fascinating. Made by hand, the potter uses the coil and pinch method without the use of a pottery wheel. Pottery making is begun by first finding the clay and then grinding it to a fine powder using a stone metate. Water is then added to the clay powder and brought to the right thickness. A piece is cut for the foundation of the pot and then clay coils are molded together to build up the sides. The tools the Tarahumaras use for cleaning and smoothing the pot are nothing more than pieces of gourd, stone or wood. They then fire the pot in a shallow hole after it has dried in the open air. The fired pot is then painted with traditional items like a feather, the fingers or a cloth-wrapped stick and a variety of paints like red ochre, iron oxide or hematite.

Owning American Indian pottery, whether a roughly made Tarahumara pot, a brilliantly painted piece by the Tigua Indian Tribe, or sophisticated artwork like Mata Ortiz, is truly a wonderful privilege and allows you to experience American Indian culture in the most authentic way. You can buy beautiful Indian pottery online, and in pottery shops and many stores that sell southwestern decorating accessories. If you want to be part of the exciting rebirth of Indian pottery collecting and add Native American style to your home, try decorating with original pieces of hand-crafted Indian pottery.

Article Source: http://www.contentspool.com

Craig Chambers is the director of Mission Del Rey and offers free information online about choosing Indian pottery for rustic style decorating. For more information visit www.missiondelrey.com

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