Mexicans have been making ceramics of both simple and sophisticated design for several millennia. Because of its durability, pottery has told us much of what we know about Mexico's ancient cultures. Wonderful human, animal and mythical ceramic figures can be seen in almost any archaeological museum.

A number of village potters work without a wheel; moulds are employed by some, while others use a board resting on a stone or two upturned dishes, one on top of the other, as devices for turning their pots. Two villages producing attractive, inexpensive and unique unglazed pottery by these methods are Amatenango del Valle in Chiapas that is best known for its animalitos (tiny animal), and San Bartolo Coyoatepec in Oaxaca.

A more sophisticated and highly attractive type of Mexican pottery is Talavera, named after a town in Spain whose pottery it resembles. Talavera has been made in the city of Puebla since colonial times. It can be found in two forms: tableware and tiles.

One of the most distinctive ceramic forms is the árbol de la vida (tree of life). These highly elaborate candelabra-like objects, often a meter or higher, are moulded by hand and decorated with numerous tiny figures of people, animals, plants and so on. Very nice ones can be found amongst others in Puebla, Metepec, and in the state of Mexico.

The Tonalá and Tlaquepaque are also renowned pottery centers. Tonalá is the source of most of the better work and also called as las fabricas (production center), and its products are sold in both places. Beautiful and flabbergasting ceramic sculptures can be admired in Tlaquepaque, Guadalajara at Sergio Bustamante's or Rodo Padilla's galleries. They are two of the most famous artists today in Mexico.