Genealogy of the Locero Dwellers: Approaches to the Formal Style and Typology of the Ceramic Tradition of Morcá, Rural District of Sogamoso, Boyacá

Abstract

The glazed pottery tradition produced in Morcá, a rural district of Sogamoso, Boyacá, has received limited attention from archaeology and history, despite numerous documentary references to its existence and the continued presence of potters who preserves the knowledge and techniques associated with this craft. Drawing on the theoretical framework of Monika Therrien et al. (2002) and their concept of formal style —an indicator of changes within a tradition, understood as an adaptation that retains an essence over time— alongside research in primary and secondary sources, this article proposes a hypothesis regarding the origins of the pottery tradition of Morcá during colonial times, as well as its development and consolidation. The text examines the dynamics of conflict and dispute among social groups that fostered the tradition’s endurance over time. These dynamics are linked to cultural practices that blend elements of both pre-Hispanic and European worlds, shaping a heritage value that adapted and persisted through the Republican era and into modernity. This hypothesis is further nuanced and contrasted with a characterization of the forms, decorations, and uses of Morcá’s pottery. The analysis draws from interviews with six master potters from the district and the visual, descriptive, and analytical documentation of 44 ceramic pieces from their family collections.