Atzompa Muerto Cup

Origin: Santa Maria Atzompa, Oaxaca by Ana Martinez.

Description: Artisan Ana Martinez tells of her inspiration for this face cup. She recounts that this cup was inspired by ancestral burial practices. When a person would die, their eyes were covered with stones and their noses were stuffed. This way, they were aided in their journey through death. This cup represents a person transcending death. 

Material: This cup was constructed with two clays; white clay (hard) & black clay (soft). Separately, one is too soft and crumbles easily & the other is too hard and rough. Combined they balance each other out to compose a malleable consistency that allows the artisan to bring their creations to life.

Technique: Each piece is hand-made, built & fire baked using ancestral cooking techniques. Each is cooked in hand-made kilns that sit on the ground. Once cooked, they are thrown into a saw dust compost that yields its burnt natural earth tones. This process is known as reduction firing. 

Color: Due to the hand-made nature of each piece, no two are the same. Wind, fire temp, debris, and weather all play a role in the finished look.

Approximate Dimensions:
all hand-made products may vary slightly in size.

• 5.5 in H
• 4.5 in W
• 18 oz capacity 

Care: Wash and dry completely before storing.

Lead-Free
Food-Safe
Indigenous made
Woman made