Rancho Santa Fe Historical Society hears lecture by expert on ancient Mexican pottery

The RSF Historical Society presented a lecture by Dr. James Kemp on “The Pottery of Mata Ortiz” on Oct. 3.

An expert on Native Americans, Kemp spoke last fall at the Historical Society on “Kachina Dolls and Dances.”

Mata Ortiz pottery was crafted based on the ancient designs found in shards around the area of Mata Ortiz in Mexico, and today is collected and sold around the world, appreciated for its individual beauty and craftsmanship.

Kemp, a resident of Julian, and a retired clinical professor at UC San Diego, became fascinated with Native American and other related cultures after moving to the Southwest from the East Coast.

“I found a wealth of cultures only a day or two drive from San Diego,” he said. He brought samples of the Mata Ortiz pottery in his collection to the presentation.