XOCHIACA, Mexico — The noise of hammers and chisels striking stone rings out on most Sundays in the cemetery of ancient Xochiaca, a town swallowed up years ago by the metropolitan sprawl of Mexico City.
It’s the noise of the stone carvers of Chimalhuacan — as the district is understood — who still pursue a craft passed down for generations, even after the regional source of quarry stone was tired.
The town cemetery is filled with yard-high (meter-high) statues of saints and a knot of guys who coax flower garlands and flowers out of the obstructs of stone with their chisels.
Generations of stone carvers in Chimalhuacan, on Mexico’s City’s far east side, likewise produced much of the stonework that embellishes structures and parks in the capital’s downtown.
While carvers in other locations long ago turned to mechanical cutters and polishers, the artisans here usage just hammers, mallets and a range of chisels and gouges.
Many are self-taught, however some, like Tomás Ugarte, 86, foundout in the conventional method as handed down by dads and grandpas, dating back about 5 generations.
The group alters to an older group these days. There were about 600 signedup stone carvers a years ago, however Carolina Montesinos Mendoza, director of the Mexico State workplace that supports artisans, stated there are mostlikely just around 300 now. The carvers are passingaway off and their kids usually wear’t desire to take up the trade,
With Xochiaca now lost in a maze of city streets, they keep the old tr