LARGE TARAHUMARA INDIAN RAWHIDE-BOUND POTTERY VESSEL c.1970s 22"T EXCELLENT

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LARGE TARAHUMARA INDIAN RAWHIDE-BOUND POTTERY VESSEL c.1970s 22"T EXCELLENT:
$850.00

This is a classic example of Tarahumara hand coiled clay pottery from the Copper Canyon region of Mexico. It is light-weight (for such a large piece), which means that it takes a very good potter to produce it (approx. 15 pounds). The bottom of the rawhide is stamped "hecho en Mexico" (made in Mexico). The style and use of the stamp date this piece to approximately the 1970s. It measures about 22" T with a 15" diameter at the widest point. The mouth or rim measures approximately 6 3/4" wide. The condition of this item is remarkable for its age with only minor surface wear and no chips/cracks. It willlikely need a stand; it does not balance well by itself.
The Tarahumara are a nomadic people who typically live in several different dwellings during the year, including caves. Some Tarahumara live in caves, others inhabit houses made of stone, planks, and poles, built high in canyons of the Sierra Madres. It is a way of life that has changed little over centuries. Although the Tarahumara are considered one of the few indigenous groups in North America that have been able to preserve their culture mostly unmodified despite more than 350 years of contact with outside populations, the increasing contact with non-Indians has put additional pressure on their way of life. This particular pottery vessel would have been an item intended for the tourist trade to earn income and support families in a challenging economic Environment while still allowing the Tarahumara to remain close to their traditional lands and lifestyle.
Will ship well packaged and fully insured.