Chulucanas, Peru

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CHULUCANAS POTTERY

Handcrafted pottery made out of earthenware, manufactured with traditional pottery techniques used by the Vicus Culture (500 B.C.). This distinctive technique is unique due to its particular smoking process in which each piece is intentionally exposed to the thick smoke produced from burning mango leafs and different kinds of firewood, thus creating natural dark colors. The solid black or dark rich brown colors found in all of these pottery products is not paint, or any other kind of artificial colorants; it is actually the result of the smoking process. The intensity of these natural colors will depend on how long each piece is exposed to the smoke.

Each piece is individually burnished by hand. This polishing technique is done using fine river stones. This process helps seal the smoking process and gives each piece a matte to semi-gloss finish. No glazes or lacquers are used.

All of these pieces are for decorative indoor use only. Due to its particular smoking process, the black or dark rich brown natural color might fade with time, if exposed to direct sunlight. Lustering might be done using neutral shoe polish and a clean flannel. These products are not watertight.