▁more ▁sec ular ized ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century ▁as ▁political ▁ant agon ism ▁towards ▁the ▁Church ▁grew ▁and ▁became ▁more ▁focused ▁on ▁items ▁such ▁as ▁buttons , ▁can e ▁handles , ▁pocket ▁watch es ▁and ▁hair ▁decor ations , ▁inc rust ations ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁j ew el ry . ▁The ▁ind igen ous ▁t ended ▁to ▁keep ▁more ▁of ▁the ▁colonial ▁era ▁designs ▁especially ▁neck laces ▁with ▁d ang ling ▁co ins , ▁glass ▁and ▁silver ▁figur ines , ▁fil ig ree . ▁ ▁As ▁mines ▁gave ▁out ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁and ▁ 2 0 th ▁centuries , ▁pre cious ▁metal working ▁decl ined . ▁Trad itional ▁util itar ian ▁iron ▁and ▁co pper ▁working ▁decl ined ▁due ▁to ▁industrial ization . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁mid ▁ 2 0 th ▁century , ▁a ▁rev ival ▁began ▁in ▁silver ▁working ▁in ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁Tax co , ▁even ▁though ▁the ▁area ’ s ▁mines ▁had ▁given ▁out . ▁It ▁began ▁with ▁the ▁work ▁of ▁American ▁art isan ▁William ▁Spr at ling , ▁who ▁took ▁traditional ▁Mexican ▁ind igen ous ▁and ▁colonial ▁designs ▁and ▁gave ▁them ▁new ▁adapt ations , ▁then ▁teaching ▁other ▁art is ans ▁in ▁the ▁area . ▁Today , ▁Tax co ’ s ▁silver work ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁Mexico ’ s ▁important ▁exports ▁of ▁finished ▁products . ▁ ▁Co pper ▁working , ▁mostly ▁for ▁util itar ian ▁items ▁and ▁home ▁dé cor ▁continues ▁in ▁Santa ▁Clara ▁del ▁C obre , ▁a ▁tradition ▁that ▁has ▁remained