OUR COLLECTION — LATIN AMERICA — ECUADOR 366. RUSTIC MASAPAN NATIVITY
This Nativity is made from unleavened bread dough called masapan. This technique originated in Calderón, which is a pueblo just outside of Quito in the Andes Mountains. In Ecuador, giving masapan gifts to neighbors is a tradition that began approximately 150 years ago.
To create the figures, the artisans boil the dough in water, add preservatives and coloring, and then run it through a pasta maker to flatten. Next, they cut the dough, form the desired shapes, and put the details together using glue. Finally, they add a finishing glaze and set it out to dry. This particular set is stained to appear rustic or antiqued. This 10-piece set includes Mary, Joseph, Jesus, an angel, a shepherdess, three wise men, a donkey, and a bull. The standing figures measure 4 inches tall.
To create the figures, the artisans boil the dough in water, add preservatives and coloring, and then run it through a pasta maker to flatten. Next, they cut the dough, form the desired shapes, and put the details together using glue. Finally, they add a finishing glaze and set it out to dry. This particular set is stained to appear rustic or antiqued. This 10-piece set includes Mary, Joseph, Jesus, an angel, a shepherdess, three wise men, a donkey, and a bull. The standing figures measure 4 inches tall.