Town 17 km west of Mitla
A Zapotec village in the hills where women shape red clay pottery by hand, without a wheel, as their families have for generations.
San Marcos Tlapazola is a Zapotec village in the hills south of Tlacolula, known across Oaxaca as the land of red clay. Much of the village makes pottery, and the work is done mainly by women, who learn it from their mothers and grandmothers as girls.
The pieces are built entirely by hand, with no potter's wheel. The women dig red and yellow clay on the hillsides, mix it, shape it into pots, comales, jugs, bowls and figures, then polish the surface with smooth stones until it shines. Traditionally they are fired in the open with wood. The result is a warm red ware that you will see on sale at the Tlacolula market and in shops in Oaxaca City.
Some of the potters have organized into groups, such as the cooperative Mujeres del Barro Rojo, and welcome visitors to their workshops to watch the process and buy straight from the people who made the pieces. It is a working village rather than a tourist town, so it helps to go with a guide or to arrange a visit ahead.
What to see and do
Watch a potter shape a piece by hand and burnish it with a stone.
Buy red clay pots, comales and figures directly from the women who make them.
Ask about the open-air firing, if one is happening during your visit.
Look for Tlapazola pottery at the Sunday market in Tlacolula.
Getting there
Tlapazola is about 30 minutes from Mitla: drive west to Tlacolula, then south into the hills on a local road. There is little signage, so a taxi from Tlacolula or a local guide is the easiest way to go, and arranging a workshop visit ahead is a good idea.
17 km west of Mitla
Directions from Mitla on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Weather mild
San Marcos Tlapazola shares the climate of Mitla, 17 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec.
Make Mitla your base
San Marcos Tlapazola is an easy trip from Mitla, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
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