Ceramic restoration is used to reinforce a damaged piece. Not only visible fractures, but internal ones. When fine cracks are visible, frequently internal cracks are bigger. This condition endangers piece structure. Internal fissures must be detected on time, before the damage increases, and therefore it may lose a small part of it or brakes down completely. This may occur just by moving around or cleaning the piece.

Prehispanic Pottery is label according to the time, archaeological place where it was found, ethnic group that made it, or the influences it seems to hold. This pottery is normally made of clay, (barro cocido, horneado) heated at low temperatures. Some of them have been glazed with color. Some others have inlay pieces of mineral or organic materials. Each piece of pottery is treated according to its specific needs and background. Once the piece has been repaired from its internal cracks or fissures, missing parts of it will be replaced using similar materials which will match the texture and the color. Sometimes is necessary to inform about a slight change of color that may have occurred during the preservation, because it may not be easily detected.

When talking about modern pieces, they are normally named after the technique creator. Sometimes they are named after the place they were produced, which by the way, it is normally the place where the specific clay these pieces are made of is found.

During the heating process, pottery items tend to shrink. The material they have been made of, loses its humidity. As a matter of fact, this process gives the pieces the tension and hardness which the pottery items will keep forever. When a piece breaks, it loses the tension and therefore it may lose the shape as well. That is, some parts of the piece may be bent. The preservator generally will not correct this problem, because it is considered part of the beauty of ancient pieces. This shape is considered normal even in museums, where they have their own restoration department. Nevertheless, this is not well seen in other items, such as plates, vases or ornaments.

In case of glazed porcelain, the process is focus on giving the original glaze back. Although first it must be pasted, repaired and painted very carefully. Using airbrush or a very fine paint brush, this decision will depend on the design or decoration of the piece, and finally it is glazed with synthetic resin matching the original color.

This is how the heated pottery comes back to life. This is how we do the restoration of these items. Whether they had been made of clay, mud or porcelain, the piece should be keep as an antique; it cannot be used again as utensil.