Chapter 112: Mexican Folk Industries: Jadesmiths, Goldsmiths, Stonemasons and Potters
The group left the heavily guarded craftsmanship center and came to the bustling craftsman area. The surroundings were suddenly filled with the breath of life. It was like the solemn and solemn elegant sounds, turning into relaxed and cheerful secular music, along with the waterways between the blocks.
, flowing into the bustling market.
When the sun has not reached noon, there is no smoke in the craftsmen's area. Common people only eat two meals a day, and they are busy at this time.
The most top craftsman is the jade craftsman. Not far ahead, a middle-aged senior jade craftsman is using a primitive weight machine and copper and stone weight tools. With the help of jade sand, he is carefully carving in his hands.
He slowly and steadily carved the delicate and ancient face of the god on it. As the jade sand circulated, the jade was crisp and sweet, like a clear spring dripping into the world.
"A gentleman is like jade. He is as sharp as cutting, as sharp as polishing."
Shulot approached silently. He watched with a smile, his thoughts drifting away.
Central America is rich in jade. In the ancient wisdom, jade is the "stone of pain", which can cure or relieve various pains, bring prosperity, success and good luck. In sacred sacrifices, jade symbolizes life.
And purity. The main producing areas of jade are in the southern Mixtec jungle, the Mayan Yucatan Peninsula, and Guatemala.
Starting from the ninth century BC, the earliest Olmecs had developed mature jade processing technology. They made blue jade masks, which they called "Olmec Blue". Almost at the same time, the Mayans
People also began to carve dark green gemstone skulls, which they called "God's Green".
In Mexica society at this time, jade was the most noble object of the gods, similar to the Celestial Dynasty, Shang and Zhou Dynasty. Jade was enshrined in the temples of the gods. Outside the temples, there were only the royal family, high-ranking priests and real nobles.
, only then can you use jade decorations.
This prohibition is the most strictly enforced, far exceeding other clothing regulations. If a businessman wears jade in public, it is an extreme offense to the gods and will be severely punished. Not long ago, Tacuria, a big businessman in Tarasco, was
He was arrested in Beicheng for this crime and was immediately beheaded and executed. His head was missing.
After a while, the middle-aged jade craftsman finally finished his work. He raised his head, revealing an ordinary face and a pair of quiet and steady eyes. Then, he saw Xiulote standing beside him and watching.
Recognize it and immediately kneel down to salute. The jade craftsmen are firmly controlled by the royal family and the priests, and the raw materials of jade also come from the royal family. They often serve the nobles, and the level of the nobles' clothing can be seen at a glance.
After the salute, the middle-aged jade craftsman kept his head bowed and presented a palm-sized jade. The young man took it and saw that on the palm-square jade surface, the Aztec sun stone calendar was perfectly carved. Various
The symbol is as delicate as a mosquito or fly, but it is exactly the same. This kind of fine carving is like water dripping through a stone, and it takes an unknown amount of hard work for the craftsmen.
Shulot was surprised. He recognized the patterns and engravings on the jade and kept nodding. This jade craftsman is an excellent plate maker, and the ongoing engraving experiment requires such carving precision.
He pondered for a moment, then asked Bertard to leave a jade token as a token to take away the jade and recruit craftsmen. The middle-aged jade craftsman looked at the jade token, with surprise and joy on his face, and then he knelt down.
"Your Highness, the jadesmith Equila of Tenochtitlan is willing to serve you. Under the witness of the patron saint, I offer my loyalty until death!"
Shulot nodded slightly, wrote down the name of the jade craftsman, and spoke majestically.
"Aquila, take the talisman and report to the high priest's residence tomorrow. Don't delay!"
Aquila respectfully accepted the order and put his head firmly on the ground. The young man smiled slightly and turned around.
Not far away from the jadesmith's area are the small workshops of goldsmiths and silversmiths. They are second-level craftsmen who also serve the nobles and are managed by community leaders.
Shulot walked forward slowly. He waved his hand to stop the craftsmen from saluting, and carefully watched the work of an old goldsmith.
There was a slight sweat on the old goldsmith's forehead, but his hands did not stop at all. Now it has reached a critical moment.
He first took out a clay mold made of fine mud from the high-temperature heated kiln and carefully checked the moisture content in it. The heat transferred in the kiln had hardened the clay coating of the clay mold into a shell. The wax mold in the clay mold
It has been melted and discharged from the remaining holes. At this time, the clay mold has been completely hollow, leaving the shape of the cast object.
Afterwards, the old goldsmith continued to heat the clay model while melting the gold into a liquid. When the temperature of the gold liquid and the clay model were similar and there would be no deformation due to the temperature difference, he carefully poured the gold liquid into the hole above the clay model slowly.
.This process was slow and steady until the shell was completely filled, leaving no gaps. Then, he cooled the filled clay mold and allowed the gold liquid to solidify into the shape of the cast object.
Finally, the old goldsmith knocked off the shell, and an exquisite gold mask appeared in front of Shulot. The mask was as thin as a cicada's wings, with hollow flying patterns. It shone brightly in the midday sun, with a hint of crystal clearness in its circulation.
It's as if it was made in heaven.
Shulot was extremely impressed. He stretched out his hand, and the old goldsmith hesitated slightly before handing the golden mask to the young priest. The young man looked at the fine mask carefully, looking for the holes in it.
This is a gold object cast using the lost wax method. That is, the mold to be cast is first made with wax, and then wrapped in a clay mold. Then the clay mold is baked, the wax mold is melted, the metal liquid is injected, and the mold is cooled and shaped. This casting method sounds like
Simple, but extremely particular about the details. The craftsman must have superb clay molding skills and good control of the heat to prevent pores and voids from appearing in the casting.
Shulot looked around repeatedly and found no flaws in the golden mask. So he nodded slightly and returned the mask to the old goldsmith, who was obviously relieved.
The young man smiled slightly, and then felt happy. The lost wax method can be used to make fine goldware, and can also be used to cast fine bronzes and ironware, as well as all finely processed parts. More importantly, this clay mold casting method can be used
Come and make the gun machine of the matchlock gun, the bronze cannon of this era, and the iron cannon of the future!
Shulot continued to look at other gold objects. From delicate earrings the size of a flintlock trigger, to a solid gold staff the length of a matchlock, to a one-piece cast statue the size of a small bronze cannon, the more the boy looked at it, the more satisfied he became.
.As long as the craftsmen's casting level is sufficient, for a rich and powerful alliance, the casting cost is not a problem at all.
Then, the young man pondered for a moment, recalling the proportions of gunpowder and looking for the stable source of saltpeter in his memory. After a moment, he sighed softly. The road is still long, and the development of the times cannot be achieved overnight.
Thinking of this, Shulot silently wrote down the information of the goldsmiths. Whether they like it or not, they will become the first coppersmiths and blacksmiths in the future. Finally, he waved his hand and went to the carpenter as the craftsmen bowed their heads.
, the area of masons and potters.
Carpenters, stonemasons and potters served the entire society and had a strict occupational hierarchy within them.
Usually, they start as apprentices, making daily necessities and tools for civilians. As their skills improve, ordinary craftsmen will serve merchants and warriors, making exquisite utensils. If their craftsmanship can break through again, they can become
Become a senior craftsman serving the nobles.
The top master craftsmen will directly serve the royal family and the chief priests, and have a lofty status similar to that of a warrior, just like the old carpenter Kuod. The master stonemason and carpenter will participate in the construction of the most respected temple, while the master potter will be the deceased.
The venerable person made funerary objects.
Carpenters make daily furniture, build roof beams for houses, and carve wooden sculptures and works of art. They are also responsible for the production of helmets and longbows in military production. Kuaud has already introduced a lot of these industry information in detail.
Xiulote skipped the carpenters and went directly to the masons' area. After four thousand years of the Stone Age, the stone craftsmanship in Mesoamerica has reached its peak. The masons have an extremely clear understanding of the properties and applications of various stones.
The young man arrived at the largest stonemason's workshop. The tall and burly stonemason was slightly puzzled at first, and then he welcomed the young high priest with a loud smile. In a loud voice, he enthusiastically introduced various expensive obsidian handicrafts.
Shulot smiled and admired the dazzling array of stone utensils.
He first saw a highly polished obsidian mirror. When he pointed it at the mirror, he saw a handsome and delicate face, even the strong eyebrows were clearly visible. Then, he saw a pair of exquisite earplugs, the tentacles were warm and smooth, and they should be
It was ground from pebbles by the river. The boy put it in his ears, and the tinkling sound of the stone tools disappeared.
Next, Shulot saw another obsidian cup with thin walls and exquisite patterns. He took it and held it in his hand to examine it, admiring it repeatedly.
The shape of obsidian is both brittle and hard. Being able to carve out a water cup with a thickness of less than half a centimeter in obsidian means strictly controlling the texture and properties of the stone, and making every cut exactly the same. There is no need for decades of hard work and outstanding skills.
Talent, this kind of skill is unthinkable, let alone taking advantage of the carving process to carve such natural and beautiful patterns.
Finally, Shulot's hand passed over the rows of obsidian sharp blades and stopped on the thinnest oval obsidian lens. Then he placed the lens above his eyes and looked towards the sky. This is a special eyepiece for priests.
It is as thin as a leaf. Through the lens, you can directly observe the dazzling sun.
Through the filtering and blocking of the lens, the boy saw small changing dots appearing on the bright sun. The priests believed that these changes were the language of the gods, while the boy thought that these should be sunspots.
Shulot was lost in thought. These master masons should be able to help him make glass.
Glass is a low-cost and extremely profitable trade item, and is loved by all tribes in the Americas. In history, colonists often used shiny glass beads to deceive the indigenous peoples of America and Africa, in exchange for hundreds of times the price of expensive goods.
Even precious and priceless land.
Firing glass can not only earn huge returns, but also weaken future colonists in disguise. Unfortunately, the young man does not know the specific process, but only understands the general principles. If he wants to actually make it, he can only rely on the repeated trials of craftsmen.
Shulot pondered, first nodded, then shook his head, and then sighed softly. Then, in the same ups and downs of the stonemason leader's mood, he picked up the stone mirror, earplugs, water glass and lenses.
The leader of the masons finally smiled in surprise. He looked at the young priest brightly.
"Dear Priest, there are two bags of gold sand in total. Each bag must weigh at least more than the standard stone."
As he spoke, the leader of the masons pointed to a simple wooden balance, with a squared stone placed on one end of the balance.
Hulot's smile faltered. He touched his body and found nothing. Then he looked at Bertard. The poor captain of the guard only took out two talismans and a few sweet and sour cocoa beans for snacks.
.
The young man thought for a moment. The skill of the mason leader was indeed good and he could be recruited into his technical team. So he took out a jade talisman and handed it to the mason leader with a majestic expression.
The leader of the masons held the jade talisman and looked at it for a moment, showing doubts on his face. Then he weighed the jade talisman and frankly showed his dissatisfaction.
"Master Priest, this piece of jade has been engraved with strange square patterns and is no longer worth processing. It is also too light. Even if it is sold to a noble, it will only be worth half a bag of gold sand!"
Xiulote's face darkened. Of course the jade talisman was engraved with his name. He looked at the mason leader majestically with some perseverance.
The leader of the masons shrank back, looked at the young man's delicate face, and speculated on the young man's priesthood. Then he tried to hold his head high, widened his eyes, and faced the young man bravely.
"Master Priest, I can't take all these four things for you. I, Lozano, am the best stonemason in this area, and I make the best things in this area! Well, the earplugs are not valuable, so I can give them to you. The rest is
Whether it’s a stone mirror, a cup or a lens, your jade talisman can only be exchanged for one thing!”
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Shulot’s face was dark and he did not speak.
Bertard smiled. He stepped forward, and under the vigilant gaze of the mason leader, he suddenly took action very quickly and easily restrained the other party's resistance. Then, before the mason leader shouted for help, the warrior chief whispered a few words
What.
The stonemason leader's face was frozen, and he looked at Bertard in disbelief. The warrior commander nodded slightly. Then, he looked at Shulot again. The young man had no expression on his face.
"You...don't try to lie to me! I, Lozano, am the best stonemason in this area, and I am well-informed! How could your noble highnesses come to this craftsman area?"
Bertard shook his head. He pinched his lower lip and let out an eagle cry. Soon, more than a dozen elite warriors poured in from outside the workshop door. The warriors wore leather armor, held a shield in one hand, and copper in the other.
Ax, his face was as solemn as a stone sculpture, exuding awe-inspiring power.
Facing the chilling warriors, the craftsmen in the workshop all knelt on the ground and trembled. Lozano's face was dull. He opened his mouth wide and looked at the noble family crests on the leather armors of the warriors. For a long time, the best
The mason fell to his knees with a plop, and his forehead hit the ground with a thud. Then he was sweating like rain and was speechless.
Shulot sighed. This kind of bloody situation was really not what he expected to encounter. He pondered for a moment and then spoke majestically.
"Lozano, you have been recruited by the royal family. Take the talisman and go to the high priest's residence tomorrow without delay!"
After saying that, the young man turned and left. After taking two steps, he thought of something again and turned around to add something.
"I took the things. Two bags of gold sand. You can go to the high priest's house to get them tomorrow."
Just as Lozano raised his big head to take a peek, he came face to face with the boy who suddenly turned around. The leader of the masons was so frightened that he lowered his head vigorously again, and there was another bang.
Seeing this scene, Shulot felt a slight pain in his forehead. He shook his head, smiled again, and walked out of the workshop.
After a while, Lozano raised his head and looked carefully. Then, he breathed a sigh of relief, stood up from the ground, and shouted curses at the apprentices around him.
"Go back to work! I, Lozano, am really unlucky today!...What the hell, Your Highness, instead of doing your business, you just wandered into the craftsman area..."
The burly stonemason leader lowered his voice, murmured the last sentence, and shook his head.
The sun was setting slightly in the west, and the group finally arrived at the pottery area. Under the bright sunshine, the pottery with various glazes was dazzlingly gilded, and the bright patterns outlined vivid flowers, birds, fish and insects, and the images flowed around like life.
Shulot did not enter the workshop again. He just walked slowly on the street and carefully watched the work of potters on both sides. The potters were mainly women, just like the inheritance from the early tribal era.
They evenly add the adjusted clay into the mold, coil it into different shapes, then use a scraper to smooth the surface, and then use special stone tools to polish it. Then, they put the shaped pottery into a bonfire or a simple kiln and burn it.
, let the clay harden into pottery. Finally, apply various colors to draw bright patterns. The patterns of the pottery should be closer to daily life, and the proportion of gods will be significantly reduced.
With the help of molds and pottery kilns, pieces of pottery for daily use are formed one after another in this way. The mushroom-shaped mold is very suitable for making formed plates, bowls and cup bases. The concave mold is suitable for making pots of different sizes. These pots have a bottom
The corners are connected vertically, and the thickness is extremely accurate.
Shulot watched with great interest. In front of a larger pottery workshop, he even saw pottery flowers made from molds, pottery canoes, small warrior figurines, and Maya's small toy cars. These crafts
It was prepared for aristocratic families, so it was quite exquisitely made and all painted with colored glazes.
Then, the boy picked up a colorful pottery bowl and looked at it carefully. The bowl was covered with colorful glazes of animals and plants, and the depictions were lifelike. The bottom of the bowl was a neat cross-shaped grid, each grid was only half the size of a fingernail.
.He looked at Bertard with some doubts.
The warrior commander nodded slightly.
"Your Highness, this is a tool bowl used by common people to grind chili peppers. It can also be used to grind small amounts of corn and beans. The grid pattern is used to grind plants. Small nobles also use this bowl to grind spices and herbs.
, big nobles will use gold or silver bowls."
Xiuluo nodded. He looked at the potter girl who came over. She had the shining eyes of an artist and a delicate and gentle face.
"How to sell this bowl?"
The potter girl blushed slightly. She looked at the boy's face and hesitated for a moment. Then, the girl shook her head firmly and decided to increase the price.
"One big handful, no, two big handfuls of cocoa beans!"
Xiulote calculated in his mind that two large handfuls of cocoa beans were less than a hundred, which was probably only worth twenty or thirty corn tortillas, or a few tenths of a bag of gold sand. Ordinary pottery was indeed cheap and was a necessity for all civilians' lives.
The pottery craftsmanship in Mesoamerica has been fully matured and spread, and high-quality clay can be found everywhere. Many civilian families make their own pottery.
Xiuluo nodded, and the warrior behind took out a small tube of gold sand and handed it to the surprised potter girl. Long-term exposure to high-quality white clay kaolin is like using high-end cosmetics all the time, making the girl's hands white, translucent, and soft.
Beautiful porcelain.
The young man stared at the porcelain jade hand and was gradually attracted. He subconsciously stretched out his hand to hold it and rubbed it slightly, feeling the familiar softness, delicacy and smoothness. His thoughts flew far away, to the distant shore of the ocean, the memories and yearnings
Living far away.
"The wind and dew of nine autumns bloom over the kilns and capture the green color of thousands of peaks."
On the Mexica Plateau, there is no shortage of high-quality raw material soil, but what is lacking is the technology for firing porcelain. If you build a large-scale porcelain kiln, prepare high-temperature charcoal, and try again and again, you can gradually gain experience in making porcelain.
However, this kind of luxury product is not of much help to the Mexicans during the Warring States Period. Simple pottery is enough for daily life. It is better to wait until the world is unified before making exquisite porcelain to harvest the wealth of the nobles.
!
Thinking of this, Shulot smiled sadly. He shook the porcelain in his hand again, but felt the soft warmth, and a muffled cry came from his ears. The young man came back to his senses in shock. He raised his head, and in front of him was a
The girl with a drooped head, her swan-like neck was already blushing. Her breathing was weak and rapid, and she seemed to have lost strength and did not make any resistance.
Shulot was stunned for a moment. Then he shook his head and smiled, let go of his hand, looked at it again, turned around and left without looking back. Within a moment, the boy was gone.
Bertard waved, and the warriors quickly followed the guards. He picked up the colorful bowl that the boy had left behind in a hurry and forgot to take it with him, and smiled softly. Then, he looked at the potter girl. She was standing on tiptoe, disappointed.
The distance is far away. I don’t know when, the golden sand has slipped from the hand to the ground, shaking in the pottery tube and creating a circle of ripples.
The samurai commander shook his head. He noted the location of the store and the girl's appearance, and strode away as well.