70s Vintage Tonala Mushroom, Mexican Pottery

Tonalá has been a center for ceramics since the pre-Hispanic era, when the indigenous Tonalteca people shaped and polished clay for ritual and domestic use. With the arrival of European colonists in the 16th century, local techniques merged with colonial aesthetics, giving rise to the style we now recognize as Tonala pottery. Artisans continue to employ ancestral burnishing techniques—polishing the clay with smooth stones to create a soft sheen—and decorate each piece with symbolic imagery. Based on the maker’s mark and the overall style, it's likely from the mid-20th century. The presence of a batch number (“37/5”) suggests it was made during a time when Tonala workshops were increasingly formalizing their production for export and identification. Measurements: 4.5 x 6 in.