Adobe Gallery Blog

Visitors to the gallery often ask "what is the meaning of that decoration?"  Our usual response is that it probably has no meaning.  That seems better than saying, "I don't know".  Most likely, many designs are repetitive from generations of use in a family and the later generations using those designs do not know their meaning, if there is a meaning.  It is just a design that their mother and grandmother used so they continue using it.

To the older generation, there may have been meaning to designs chosen and the meaning may have been reserved for specific vessel shapes.  A design used on a chile bowl would be different from one used on an olla.

Would you like to know more?