Going back to pre-Columbian times, the area of Michoacán, Mexico had above ground copper mines and a rich craft tradition. The indigenous Purépecha people (also known as the Tarascan Indians) fabricated tools, jewelry, animal effigies, and figurines out of copper. In the 1500’s when Spanish priest Vasco de Quiroga was sent to the area, he organized individual towns to specialize in one particular craft. Santa Clara del Cobre was chosen as the site for copper smithing and remains the foremost place in Mexico, perhaps in the world, for both utilitarian and artistic hammered copper.

Over the past few years, the craft of hammered copper has been discovered by arts and crafts lovers around the country. Hammered copper from Santa Clara del Cobre has started showing up in major museum exhibits, on public television programs, and in prestigious galleries in Santa Fe, Scottsdale, Los Angeles, and New York City. Collectors are excited about the high quality work, the magnificent designs, and the uniqueness of this extraordinary craft.