Mata Ortiz Mexican Casas Grandes Pottery

ca. 1980 - 1990s

14" H x 12.5" D

Hand Coiled from Blackware with a Glossy and Matte Finished in a Geometric Design

In Very Good Condition

Mata Ortiz pottery, also known as Casas Grandes pottery, is a renowned form of Mexican ceramic art originating from the small village of Mata Ortiz in the state of Chihuahua, near the ancient archaeological site of Paquimé (Casas Grandes). This tradition revives and reinterprets the sophisticated pottery styles of the prehistoric Mogollon-related Casas Grandes culture, which flourished between roughly 1200–1450 AD before mysteriously declining.

The modern revival began in the late 1960s and early 1970s, led by Juan Quezada Celado, a self-taught artisan (initially a railroad worker and forager) who discovered ancient pottery sherds while gathering firewood and food in the hills. Through trial and error, he reverse-engineered the ancient techniques, starting with basic experiments and gradually perfecting thin-walled, finely painted vessels. Quezada shared his knowledge with family members (including his sister Lydia Quezada, a prominent female potter), then neighbors, transforming the economically struggling village into a thriving pottery community.