Use of White Pigment in Pottery: An Ancient Tradition in the Central Highlands of Mexico
In Mesoamerican pottery traditions, the use of dyes or pigments to decorate ceramic pieces dates back to, at least, the Early Formative period. The origins and characteristics of these dyes differ across temporal and spatial contexts, and evident variation depends on many factors (tradition, preferred style, availability of materials, processing technique, etc.). From among a wide range of slips, two colors predominate: white and red. The application of slips of these colors began at an early stage of the early Formative and endured throughout pre-Hispanic history.
This paper focuses primarily on the use of white slips in ceramic materials from various sites located in the Central Highlands of Mexico. Through the application of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), we have analyzed the white slips of ceramic fragments that correspond to the Middle Formative and Epiclassic chronology, specifically Coyotlatelco red on white. The results of these analyzes permit a fuller understanding of the long tradition of using white coloring of various origins. In the case of the materials tested, from the Toluca Valley, it is argued that the application of diatomite, widely available in the lacustrine region as a pigment, has a long tradition since at least the Middle Formative.