The original inhabitants of the village of Mata Ortiz were part of the Casas Grandes civilization, which had a vast network of villages in Northern Mexico. Between the 11th Century AD and 1350, the Casas Grandes culture was thriving. The city of Paquime was close in proximity to the present-day location of Mata Ortiz. The Paquime villagers’ achievements included hand-built ceramics that featured maze-like motifs, animal figures, and stone-polished surfaces. The Paquime civilization vanished around 1400, and left behind a legacy of exquisite pottery.
At the turn of this century large amounts of timber were harvested in the Sierra Madre above Mata Ortiz, and a railroad complex was established in the town. Independent business owners met the many needs of the people by building adobe houses, stores, and workshops. Between 1910 and the 1920’s, Pancho Villa and the Mexican Revolution brought changes to the land distribution.
When the railroad industry relocated to nearby Nuevo Casas Grandes in the 1960’s, Mata Ortiz fell into poverty. The land was no longer fertile for farming; therefore, in the 1970’s, to help the poor economic situation in his community, Juan Quezada rediscovered the ancient pottery-making process and an artistic and economic renaissance was born.
Although the artisans in Mata Ortiz are considered "Natives," they are not "Native American Indians," as defined by the Indian Arts & Crafts Association; however, their work has been inspired by the original Casas Grandes pottery that preceded the modern American Indian pottery movement. Some of the most stunning work has been done in effigy pots. Effigy pottery is described as three-dimensional representations of creatures ranging from lizards and snakes to turtles, frogs, and birds.
An example of a masterpiece of effigy pottery is the turtle effigy by Nicolas Ortiz, who is a renowned effigy pottery builder, and an effigy master in Mata Ortiz pottery. A large turtle effigy is one of his most outstanding creations with its impeccable designs found on the turtle's back, edges of its shell, and underside. Other famous Mata Ortiz effigy pottery artists include Manuel Rodriguez, Manuel Olivas, and Alonso Meraz.
|
