About Our Products

History of San Juan de Oriente

Making the Pottery

About Our Products

A Brief History of San Juan de Oriente

San Juan de Oriente, Nicaragua is comparable to the Mata Ortiz region of Mexico twenty or more years ago, in terms of its importance in the world of collectible pottery. A small village nestled in the hills between the volcanoes Masaya and Mombacho, San Juan de Oriente has been known for centuries for its beautiful pottery, its ceramic tradition dating back to 1,000 BC.

The village is still primarily inhabited by the indigenous descendants of the original Nahuatl (pronounced nah-whal) Indian tribes who settled the Pacific region of Nicaragua and Costa Rica some 5000 years ago. Though the Nahuatl were contemporaries of the Olmecs, Mexico's oldest culture, they developed their own unique styles and traditions. Around 1350 there is evidence of the development of trade and influence of the Mayan culture, including ceramic motifs depicting Quetzalcoatl, (pronounced ket-sal-ko-at-el) the feathered serpent god.

Legends tell of a female spirit who lived in the Masaya volcano who was consulted for prophecies and to resolve conflicts among the tribes. Depending on the circumstances, she was offered food (and sometimes human sacrifices) that was delivered on elaborate clay platters that were made in San Juan. At the time of the Spanish presence on the continent, in fact, the village became so well known for its clay pieces that the Spaniards called it San Juan de los Platos (the dishes). Centuries old tax records show the village even paying their tribute to the Spanish King with pottery. It was not until Nicaragua declared its independence from Spain in 1821 that the name was officially changed to San Juan de Oriente.

The ceramics of old were made by coil, decorated with locally found mineral oxides and then fired in pits in the ground. Today some of the pottery of San Juan is still made using the coil method, but most is done on a kick-wheel. The pieces are dried and decorated, then low-fired in beehive style adobe kilns using wood fires for fuel. Many of the pots are in the style of design they call "inciso", or incised, a traditional technique dating back more than 2500 years and many are still decorated with traditional Pre-Columbian designs. It is only recently that some of the potters have begun to supplement the traditional pre-Colombian motifs for more modern forms of expression.

There is also a long tradition of pottery manufacture for export and trade with other Indian tribes - in fact, Nicaraguan ceramics have been found at burial sites throughout Honduras and Costa Rica.

Some of today's potters have been taught in a chain passed from mother to daughter and father to son from the time before Europeans ever set foot in the New World; others learn through apprenticeship and plain hard work. Many are excellent potters; some are truly gifted and talented artists who are gaining national (and international) recognition for the quality of their work.

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Making the Pottery

It is still common to see ox carts carrying clay in burlap sacks from the fields into the town of San Juan de Oriente. Once the clay arrives at a workshop the bags are emptied into a hole and water added to soften it. Usually the clay is workable after a day of "soaking" and at this point sand is added. Then, to soften and blend clay, it is placed on top of the empty sacks and stomped on. This can take hours. Once sufficiently pliable, the clay is "wedged" into handful size chunks so that rocks and roots can be cleaned out. Following this stage, the clay is once more stomped by foot, which can take one person up to two days before the clay is ready to place on the potter's wheel.

After the pieces have been molded or "thrown" on the wheel the outer surface is burnished to detect any small stones or roots that are still in the clay. The burnishing process calls for a hard, flat instrument, so usually stones found at the beach are used for this purpose. Once such imperfections are removed, the surface of the pot is burnished again.

The pots are then smoothed by hand and a black, liquid clay (called slip, which comes from El Sauce near Leon in Northern Nicaragua) is painted onto the pot. Known locally as engove (engobe), it is mixed with water and strained repeatedly over a period of days, resulting in a very fine and soft black clay. Some artisans say that the clay softens hands and makes an excellent facemask. Various layers of black clay are applied to each piece. The pieces are then put into bags to dry for up to seven days (depending on the season) and burnished yet again.

The ensuing layer is a bone white oxide of zinc called oxido. The white tint provides a base for further application of color. Each piece is again placed in a bag to dry, which can take anywhere from an hour or two in dry season to half a day in the rainy season. Once dry, the pots are burnished a final time.

The designs are made using colored oxides and applied with paintbrushes made from wood or, commonly, the recycled plastic shell of a ballpoint pen and hair left over from a child's haircut. Depending on the intricacy of the design, the painting can take hours, each applied color undergoing still another hand polishing process. When all the painting is complete, the pot is set out in the open air and can take anywhere from two days to a week to dry.

The outlines of the design are often carved, defined in a relief style by using a sharp instrument to delicately pick off only the top-most layer of clay, intentionally leaving the rough surface exposed. This tool can be made from the spokes of a bicycle wheel or the spines of a broken umbrella that have been sharpened by a stone.

Finishing the pot requires baking it and, many artists have constructed their own kilns out of adobe bricks and other local materials to create a basic, wood-burning oven in the traditional bee hive configuration. In recent years some are even beginning to experiment with gas kilns and alternate fuel sources. Either way, the process of "firing" the pots begins with two hours of low heat, followed by three hours of gradual increases in temperature. Once the maximum temperature is reached, it is maintained for an additional three to four hours, for a total firing time of about nine hours. After the kiln has cooled - usually a whole day later - the pots are removed and shined with a soft cloth.

It is an exhaustive process, but one that yields some of the world's most magnificent and collectible pottery.

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About Our Products

Whether you are a collector of fine pottery or just developing an interest in the beautiful work that is beginning to come from Nicaragua, Mayta Clay is dedicated to bringing you the finest pieces at the most reasonable prices. You can expect accurate information, clear descriptions and photos and the highest level of quality control. We work very closely with the artists and their families to insure that each pot conveys the spirit of excellence and pride in their native culture.

All pieces are new and are sold in new condition, however please be aware that each piece is produced one at a time by indigenous artisans using hand tools and processes. This makes each one very special and individual pieces may vary slightly from the photograph. Also the pottery is not water tight, but most pieces can be fitted with commercially available plastic liners for use with live flowers. Make sure to check in to MaytaClay.com often for updated information and new additions to our pottery line.

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