| Right throughout history the people of Central and South America have been the greatest clay potters to have ever lived.
Thousands of years before the Spanish envaded their lands in the early 1500's, they had been creating clay masterpieces.
They made; cups, jugs, pots, bowls, models of animals, warriors, and priests.
First they dug up the clay from the ground, and then shaped their model. They then baked these models to give them extra strength.
These terracotta masterpieces, have been found in the ruins of Aztec, Inca, and Mayan cities.
The objects that have been found, are very useful to historians who study Central and South America. They give out valuable information on how these people lived.
Many clay figures that have been found of the Aztecs, Incas and Mayans provide historians on what these people looked like, the clothes they wore and their part in society. The type of clothes the person wore, tells how important they were.
Some masks that were made, were decorated in turquoise and coral. One of these masks was found in Mexico, and was made about 1,700 years ago.
Death and ceremonial masks were made. They were often made out of gold.
Alot of figures and heads made out of clay by the Aztecs, Incas and Mayas were of people smiling. For example a "Laughing Man" pot was found in Nothern Peru, and made about 1,300 years ago. A "Smiling Head" figure was next to it.
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