Did you know there is a ceramic type named for Castillo San Felipe del Morro?
Found originally in San Juan, thus the reason of the name, it has also been encountered throughout the Caribbean, in northern South America, and southern North America.
El Morro Ware is a loosely compacted, sand-tempered, coarse earthenware. These surfaces are minimally smoothed. The color of the earthenware is a range from cream to beige to reddish-brown. There is usually a thin clear glaze on top of the earthenware. These glazes are sometimes tinted yellow-orange, green, or orange-red. The gritty sand in the earthenware sometimes sticks out in the glaze, creating a rough sandpaper-like texture.
In the two photos, you can see the varying colors that El Morro Ware takes on. In the first photo you can see the glisten of the clear glaze on some of the pieces. In the second photo, you can see the distinct bowl or plate rims and the broken handle! The pottery defined as El Morro Ware was developed during 1600 through 1770.
Pottery, El Morro Ware, SAJU 1139, in the collection of the San Juan National Historic Site, San Juan, P.R. Courtesy of the National Park Service.
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January 22, 2020
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Last updated: January 22, 2020