CHULUCANA POTTERY FROM PERU

Throughout Peru, you will find several types of pottery, one being Chulucana.  Using ancient, pre-Hispanic techniques by various cultures, the styles used are known as Colombian and negative painting, which is done by limiting oxygen flow in the furnace.  These techniques are commonly used for making Chulucana pottery, which comes directly from Piura in the northern jungles.  The natives of the Arabelas community create these pieces by hand, which are beautiful. 

In addition to these two methods, another option is used in Simbila, Cajamarca, and Mollepampa.  In this case, the Chulucana pottery shapes are made by hand with clay that has been beaten with a spatula.  The pieces of pottery made are also made for both utilitarian and decorative purposes.  In fact, the pieces made in Chulucanas has 250 artisans registered, making this pottery one of the finest in all of South America. 

The motifs have become very popular.  Made with rich, black color, the pottery is then glazed.  You will often see portrayals of local people to include street vendors, musicians, dancers, and so on.  Then, Chulucana pottery also depicts animals.  Because of the beautiful design and durability of this pottery, it is widely traded in various markets of Arequipa, Juliaca, and Cusco. 

One of the aspects of Peru that inspired the long tradition of pottery making is the climate.  Although pottery making has been around for centuries, it has become increasingly popular in the last three decades.  Everyone has his or her own favorite pottery design but some of the favorites include elders, old sages, mothers, lovers, laborers, and goddesses.  Because of such diversity, Chulucana pottery has something for everyone. 

The clay used for Chulucana pottery is mined from Mount Vicus.  The clay is then mixed with water coming from melted snow and desert sand.  Then the pieces of pottery are hand formed with the color and patterns being created with natural materials that are mixed with soil and applied to the surface of the pottery piece.  To create the black color on the pieces, smoke from burning mango leaves and wood is used.  The only areas not touched are those covered with the glazing mixture. 

Once the Chulucana has been fired, it is polished by rubbing it with a fine stone.  The polishing completes the pottery making process, which gives each piece a beautiful, semi-gloss finish.  To finish off the pottery, it is signed by the artist.  As you can imagine, Chulucana pottery is delicate so you will find small variations or imperfections that only lead to the intrigue.