Zapotec Beso Face Cup

Origin: Santa Maria Atzompa, Oaxaca by artisan Ana Martinez.

Material: This cup was constructed with two clays; white & black. 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.

Color: Once cooked, they are thrown into a saw dust compost that yields its burnt natural earth tones. This process is known as reduction firing. 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
• 3.5 in W
  
• 3.25 in mouth opening

Description: Enjoy a unique drinking experience with these beautiful, one-of-a kind earth-ware cups. This face motif is the artisans interpretation of clay pottery found in archeological sites in Atzompa. It is the Ana's interpretation of the face of our Zapotec people.

Care: Use of heavy soaps discouraged due to their porous nature. Food-Safe & Lead Free.