Chulucanas is a town in the province of Morropon, located in the north of Peru, in the Andean foothills, about an hour east of the city of Piura, at an altitude of 131 meters above sea level. It has a fresh climate, though hot in summer, when average temperatures reach 90° F. This part of Peru is heir to a long ceramic tradition that includes the Vicus, Tallan, Moche and Chimu pre-Columbian civilizations.
Visitors can admire the Vicus archaeological buildings, as well as the work of the people of Chulucanas, and their famous pottery, an activity carried out 5 km from Chulucanas, in the village of “La Encantada“. The Chlulucanas ceramics has its roots in the pre-Hispanic cultures Tallan and Vicus that flourished in the ancient Peru in this territory. The Vicus artisans used the “negative decoration” or “negative technique” which is used until now. The purpose of this technique is to highlight the main figures of the ceramics.
Chulucanas ceramics products are well-known internationally, and although they use ancient techniques to elaborate their ceramics, they go perfectly with modern art décor due to its shapes and colors, generally white & black.
Nowadays, Chulucanas ceramics is one of the most important Peruvian Handicrafts. In May of 2005, it was declared a “flag product of Peru“. This means that is one of the products that symbolize Peru internationally, the first and so far only handicraft to receive this award, a recognition that makes northern communities feel very proud.
The Chulucanas ceramics are unique due to its decorative forms and diverse designs. They are mostly handmade in home workshops and in their elaboration the artisans use mainly raw material found in the nature.
The first step in making the pottery is the collection of clay from deposits along the Piura or nearby Chira River. After that, they mix it with clear water and coarse sand. Then this substance is spread out in a clean floor and pressed strongly with the heels of the feet; this process takes out the air accumulated internally and also helps removes the lumps from the clay.
In the next phase, the artisans use a paddle, a flat tool made of wood, to pound the clay and give the shape and a smooth texture to the piece. Once the shape is obtained, the artisans apply a white slip to the background. While the background slip is still humid, the burnishing process begins, where the artisans rub the entire visible surface with river stones, so it becomes more homogenous.
After drying in the sun, the piece is placed in a wood-burning kiln and fired to a temperature of 1300-1700 degrees Fahrenheit. These kilns are made by the own artisans using log from the trees of the nearby areas (Algarrobo tree).
The following stage is called decoration “in negative”, in which the artisans use a very liquid clay called “barbotina” to cover the portions of the piece that will remain white; the portions to be black are not covered, but left bare. The decorated piece is then placed in a second kiln filled with mango or banana leaves, used as fuel. The smoke will also darken the portions not covered with barbotina and the resin of the burning leaves will adhere to the ceramics giving it the distinctive brightness of these ceramics. The obtained color varied depending on the amount of leaves that are placed in the kiln. A piece may be smoked several times, until the desired dark shade is achieved.
Finally the artisans take the pieces out from the kiln, cleaning them and removing the barbotina. For the last finished, the artisans apply wax and polish.
