Barro Negro Espresso cup and saucer - Sets of 2 (Includes shipping)

Made of naturally black clay found in the Oaxacan region in Mexico, is the ultimate combination of physically intense handmade work, the mystery of centuries-old traditions, and the almost magical effects of chemical reactions.

Please accept that these products are manufactured in the cottage industry and their style of packaging and shipping is not like the big corporate retail stores. Quality handmade pieces is their specialty.

Dispatched in a maximum of 5 business days for stock items.

Exchange accepted within 7 days of delivery. Cancellation requests will be accepted strictly within 24 hours of placing the order only.

This item ships from Mexico.

We advise to hand wash this natural clay pottery.

Machine wash is not recommended by the Artisans.

The craft is made in San Bartolo Coyotepec and a large number of small communities in the surrounding valley, where the clay that gives it its colour is found. This community is located 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) south of the city of Oaxaca, with about 600 families in the area dedicated to the craft.

In addition to a number of family workshops, including Doña Rosa's, the Mercado de Artesanias in an important attraction which brings visitors from many parts of Mexico and other countries. A group of fourteen people exhibit and sell Barro negro objects.

Some of these products include vases, animal figures and jars.

The color of Barro negro (Black Clay) is due to the properties of the clay, and is not coloured. The earth used to extract the clay is cleaned to remove impurities, which can take a month of soaking and settling out the clay from the rest of the soil. After this process, each piece takes about twenty days to complete.

Traditionally, the clay is moulded on plates balanced on rocks to that they can be spun by hand. Modern potters' tools are not used.

Large pieces, such as cantaros are fashioned from the bottom up adding clay as the piece grows. After it is shaped, the pieces are set to dry in a well-insulated room to protect them from sudden changes in temperature.

Drying can take up to three weeks. If the piece is to be polished so that it turns out shiny black when finished, it is polished when the piece is almost dry. The surface of the piece is lightly moistened and then rubbed with a curved quartz stone. This compacts the surface of the clay and creates the metallic sheen and dark colour during firing.

This is also the stage when decorative accents such as clay flowers or small handles are added. The designs of barro negro objects are unique to this area.

The pieces are then fired in underground pits or above ground kilns, using wood fires that heat the objects to between 700 and 800 °C.

When they emerge, the polished pieces are a shiny black and the unpolished ones have a grey matte finish.