Ceramic Color

Chupícuaro ceramics can be classified by their color schemes (López 53, 62-75). Chupícuaro is most well known for its polychromes (Porter 521). Black polychrome has a buff ground (that is, the natural tan color of the clay), on which are painted red and black designs (Weaver 9). Brown polychrome has a buff ground with red and brown designs (9). Blackware, also known as Brownware, is painted a dark color that can range from buff to black (Frierman xii). Red on Buff has red designs on a buff ground (xii). A variant of this is Red Rimmed ceramics, in which the ground is buff while the rim and perhaps a decorative motif are painted red (xii). Less common are Red, and Black on Red wares, in which the ceramics are completely red or red with black patterns, respectively (xii). Ceramics can also be unburnished, as is common for figurines (xi). Chupícuaro color schemes are associated with value, use, and chronology (see “Ceramic Chronology” section), aiding their interpretation. For example,polychrome ceramics are thought to be more valuable based on their use as trade goods and in ritually significant contexts (McBride 34-37, 41, 43, 45) .