Browse Items (33 total)

Finely woven cloths covered altars in Catholic churches in Maya territory, and this example with ancient Maya animal motifs highlights the ever-present syncretism (overlap) between the two religious systems. The vibrant purple was likely achieved by…

Unlike jackets, which were introduced by the Spanish, capes date back to representations of ancient Maya rulers. Light red with brocaded animals, this would have been worn by a santo over his camisa. The upper register features birds, while the…

Since ancient times, Maya women have worn a wide, rectangular blouse known as a huipíl over a wrap-around skirt. This mid-20th century one comes from the famous market town of Chichicastenango.A three-part huipíl such as this would have been…

This blouse dates from around 1945 and maintains the purple and pink palette and the radiating neck embroidery seen in earlier examples. However, it also shows the beginning of the later Chichicastenango design trajectory in the adoption of large…

Like Andean weavers of all periods and modern Guna textile artists (see Engaging the New), the Maya have always sought to master the most difficult fiber-working techniques. This woman’s skirt, though it is machine-made and thus reflects modern…

During the Spanish Conquest of modern-day Guatemala, missionaries formed cofradías (religious confraternities) for the indigenous people in an effort to cement the Catholic Church in every community. Cofradía members were responsible for the…

Wooden saint figures, such as the one in the center, were lavishly dressed and re-dressed over time in layers of miniature clothes such as those on either side of him. Despite their European Catholic origin, santos and santas were “Mayanized”…

Unlike jackets, which were introduced by the Spanish, capes date back to representations of ancient Maya rulers. Light red with brocaded animals, this would have been worn by a santo over his camisa. The upper register features birds, while the…

This green and blue cloth is a santo’s tzut, an all-purpose cloth often used as a male head covering. Green is commonly associated with Saint Joseph, perhaps indicating the identity of the saint it originally clothed. The machine-made lace is a…

As a Maya weaver, or more often an entire traditional indigenous family, takes on more intricate designs for jaspé cloths, the planning and execution become accordingly more challenging. Even machine-made examples, such as this skirt involve…