First successful firing of Black mineral paint. Maya replica. Utah Clays. 13.5″ X 8″
More correctly said, this is an example of a reduced iron paint. By subjecting the iron derived paint to introduced carbon- monoxide ( at sufficient temperatures ) , the iron, ( red) ferric oxide, is reduced to (black) ferrous oxide. This process alone in an ‘open’ firing can be problematic. It is a mistake to refer to these early cultures or their pottery as ‘primitive’.
