Mud Sculptures
by hughpierre
These mud figures are small humanoid and animal figurines in the shape of one of the many gods worshiped as part of the Celestial Bureaucracy.
Mechanics & Inner Workings
- Knead the mud mixture with your bare feet for four days to help ferment and develop the right consistency
- After four days of kneading, leave the mud mixture alone for a few more days
- Firmly to compact the mud into a solid base for your sculpture
- Use your hands to shape the mud into a mound or platform.
- Begin adding details:
- Pinch Method: Pinch off small portions of mud and shape them into features like eyes, nose, mouth and limbs
- Coil Method: Roll out thin coils of mud and attach them to the base to create arms, legs or other elements
- Carve Method: Use sticks or other tools to carve patterns or textures into the mud
- Attach Objects: Press sticks, stones, or other found objects into the mud to enhance the sculpture
- Wet your hands and gently smooth the surface of your sculpture
- Pay attention to proportions and symmetry
- Allow the mud sculpture to dry in the sun or air for a few days.
History
Mud pottery is among the most famous in the world. Fine wares made for special purposes as opposed to common use. Some eighty to one hundred thousand pieces line the shelves of private collections around the Four Corners.
These ceramics are breathtaking in style and the range of subjects. It is difficult to imagine that there is anything the mud men could not immortalize in their art: food, plants, animals and architecture.
Significance
Profit
The kuraca of Ch'aqu employs the residents of Ch'iquy to cynically create gods, that are foreign to them, in the muddy style. Many tourists buy these as lucky miniatures to display in their homes in order to invite divine favour.
Item type
Trade/Manufactured good
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