This piece is handmade from red clay, or barro rojo, from the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico. The clay is hand formed without the aid of a potter’s wheel. Then, the piece is finished with a red clay slip to create a unique texture. In pre-Hispanic times, this technique was used to create comales, a round flat tool used in the kitchen to cook tortillas. Today, the women of the central valley of Oaxaca continue to practice this craft. The technique is passed down from generation to generation, from mother to daughter.