Ilobasco is a
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
in the
Cabañas department of
El Salvador. It is located 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of the capital,
San Salvador.
This town is known country wide (and internationally) for its
clay
Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4).
Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay par ...
(other materials also used) craftsmanship or
pottery
Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other ceramic materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. Major types include earthenware, stoneware and ...
.
[Encyclopædia Britannic]
http://www.britannica.com/bps/topic/283164/Ilobasco
/ref>
The clay is extracted and prepared locally. The clay work includes the "miniatures", which are small representations of daily scenes as lived by Salvadorans, no bigger than 2 inches tall. The Town is also home for second division soccer team El Roble.
One version of the miniatures are the "surprises", which are basically a scene covered with another piece of clay shaped and painted in the form of a fruit, an egg, a house or other things. The cover can be removed and then the scene can be seen.
Toponymy
The actual origin and meaning of its name is unknown, most of the proposed names are nahuatl, such as: Xilohuako (Place of Dry Young-Corn), Xilotlaxko (Place of Young-Corn Tortilla), Xilotazoko (Place of Young-Corn Clay). A document found on December 1859 affirms that the name is native and it means "Golden Thread" but origin of this word is unknown.
Sports
The local football club is El Roble, formerly known as A.F.I. They currently play in the Salvadoran Second Division.
External links
Pictures from the city of IlobascoGoogle Satellite View of IlobascoIlobasco Ceramic Capital of the World
by: Miranda
Ilobasco TourismEl Salvador News
Notes
{{Authority control
Municipalities of the Cabañas Department