The ground prepared, the various figures are carefully etched.

And the outlines filled up with delicate punctures, certain vegetable oils are poured over them, for coloring.

Filled with a peculiar species of earth, the gourd is now placed in an oven in the ground.

And in due time exhumed, emptied of its contents, and washed in the stream, it presents a deep-dyed exterior; every figure distinctly traced and opaque, but the ground semi-transparent.

In some cases, owing to the variety of dyes employed, each figure is of a different hue.
More glorious goblets than these for the drinking of wine, went never from hand to mouth.