EMPIRES CHILDREN; 



THE PEOPLE OF TZINTZUNTZAN FOSTER 



81 



white Capilla earth, proportions nearly equal to 

 two to one. For smaller pots the proportions 

 are reversed: a heaped tray of red Mesa earth 

 is mixed with an even tray of white Capilla 

 earth. These are the measures she has learned 

 from her mother, and she has not seen fit to 

 vary them. Old Don Bernardino Morales, one 

 of the oldest active potters, gets by with one 

 combination for all sizes of pots: an even tray 

 of red Cerrito Colorado earth to a heaped tray 

 of white Panteon earth, in the proportions of 

 about 1 to 1^. Since there are no secret form- 

 ulas, and since each family has its own prefer- 

 red combination of earths, all of which work 

 well, it appears that there is a high degree of 

 permissible latitude involved in the selection. 



The process of kneading follows grinding of 

 the earth. On the asoleador, or in the shade of 

 a porch, a small cone-shaped pile of mixed 

 earths is placed, hollowed at the top like a 

 small volcano. This is filled with water, and 

 earth is scooped into it until it is well absorb- 

 ed. The kneading itself is much like that for 

 dough, with a little additional water splashed 

 on from time to time to maintain the proper 

 moisture content. Always the consistency is kept 

 firm, somewhat like that of a child's modeling 

 clay. Also added are pieces of pots which crack- 

 ed while drying, and which were thrown into a 

 large water-filled pot to keep moist. These pieces 

 are worked in with the fresh paste. Wlien the 

 process is finished a ball of paste about 25 cm. 

 in diameter results — enough to make one real 

 of pottery. A half dozen or more such balls 

 will be made at one time, enough to keep an 

 individual busy for several days. Paste in this 

 form can be kept for up to a week, covered 

 with damp cloths or leaves of the castor bean 

 or the tronadora (Tecoma mollis). 



MOLDING OF POTS 



Four basic forms of pots are made in many 

 sizes. The olla is a round, wide-mouthed pot 

 with handles. It is the traditional pot for cook- 

 ing. The cdntaro is a water jar of the same gen- 

 eral shape, but without handles and with a small 

 mouth. The cazuela is a wide and shallow cas- 

 serole used for cooking such things as rice, mo- 

 le, meats, and potatoes. The comal is a flat grid- 

 dle. The larger sizes are used for cooking tor- 



tillas and the smaller sizes serve as plates and 

 pot lids. A number of modifications and less 

 important types will be explained later. 



All pottery, with the rare exception of hand- 

 modeled figurines, is made in molds, of which 

 two basic forms are used. Molds for pots 

 and jars consist of identical vertical halves 

 (fig. 10, e). The clay is placed inside of each 

 half, the halves joined, and the molds removed. 

 Thus, the form is given by an outside shaping. 

 Cazuelas and comales are formed from a single 

 piece of clay placed over a mold which is like 

 a plate or shallow bowl with a handle project- 

 ing from the inside (fig. 10, a-d). Thus, the 

 form is given by shaping from the inside. 





Figure 10. — Tzintzuntzan pottery molds, a, b. Hori- 

 zontal and oblique views of mold used in making 

 small plates, c, d. Same views of mold used in 

 making cups, e. Method of forming pot inside 

 mold consisting of two vertical halves. 



