Mortar / Mortero 1700-1800, Teruel, Spain International Folk Art Foundation, Santa Fe Photo by Paul Smutko

It was with the Arab occupation of Spain, beginning in the 8th century, that ceramics became commonplace. Muslim potters brought new technology, knowledge of different materials, and new methods that revolutionized pottery production in Spain. As a result, their influence was far-reaching. Even after the expulsion of the Muslims in the 16th and 17th centuries, many potters continued to use the motifs and colors (copper green, and manganese purple-black) that were so prominent in Islamic pottery. A number of towns, such as Teruel, had established their reputation on and continued to produce Hispano-Muslim pottery while others, such as Talavera de la Reina and Barcelona, adopted Italian and French designs. The ever-popular, Chinese-inspired pottery was ubiquitous, and virtually every ceramic center created its own version of this blue-on-white ware.