The Relevance and Perserverance of Ritual Ceramics to Modern Times

Mata Ortiz Pottery Piece

          For our final entry, we decided ‘what better way to end a discussion about the use of Mesoamerican ritual ceramics than to find out how the use of ceramics has survived into modern times.’ Though the multiple rituals that used ceramics mentioned in this blog may not be actively practiced in present time, we found that the concepts of the ceramics have lived on. Some old ceramics are used in present day rituals that are seen in the areas that have developed from Mesoamerica, while other styles lived on to inspire new forms and adaptations.

Statues in a Mayan souvenir shop  

Reverence to the Ceramics of the Past

          Many newly crafted ceramics are influenced by the ceramics that are found within the archeological sites. The influence stemming from the past has affected the ceramics of today; new art is born from a rediscovery of lost cultural information, and a large interest in such discoveries. The ceramic styles are associated with a group and a cultural past, whose descendants find a purpose to use the styles within their world today. They can create similar pieces for informative or commercial reasons.

Budare

Modern Ceramics’ Rituals

           Ceramic rituals persist in today’s world, though they may not be the same events or have the same meaning as previously described . Communities still celebrate events using ceramics, even such as just feasting. Sometimes they find themselves using ritual ceramics that date back to Mesoamerican times; the comal or budare, is still widely used by peoples in Central America. Handed down through generations, this griddle has a place of honor in many Central and South American kitchens amongst iron and steel pots and pans.

So, what have we learned through this journey? Overall, the past use of ceramics within rituals is not only fascinating and insightful to their cultural usages. They were developed and used according to the peoples’ needs and culture: they shed light and knowledge on information that might not have been attainable without ceramics. Even more importantly, Mesoamerican ceramics continue to thrive through the preserving efforts of many and the modern forms it inspires. The ancient Mesoamerican ceramics live on.

Mata Ortiz Pottery Piece