Browse Items (254 total)

The principle of ayni—reciprocity, dualism, interlockedness— is consummately expressed in cloth such as this, a doublecloth dating to ca. 1000–1470 AD. Its patterns play out in indigo and white, a dualistic color choice, and in the plain-weave…

This 20th century lliklla, shoulder mantle in Quechua, embodies the long-held Andean concept of ayni or dual parts in an almost-equal relationship. First, blue paired with bright red is a typical Andean choice; the two highest-status colors are cool…

Sets of tie-dyed warp threads (called cordeles) have been sold in the markets of Guatemala for decades. Without doing the tie-dyeing (jaspé) themselves, weavers can use them to make simple patterns such as in a small tzut. Cordeles in various stages…

More complex patterns are made with tie-dyed threads only in the warp direction, in the piece at left. For a motif with curves the tying off before the dyeing takes considerably more time to accomplish, and precise planning and manual dexterity…

Beginning in the mid-20th century, Western tourists and art dealers began to arrive in Perú and Bolivia and were struck by the quality of the historic heirloom textiles still in use. As these textiles began to appear on the art market, the artistry…

This seemingly innocuous blue cloth with animals in red and yellow embroidery is called a pisbal kotsih. It resembles many of the other general-purpose cloths used by the Maya to carry babies, food, place on the head to protect from sun and cold, and…

This miniature woman’s blouse was woven for a wooden santa (female saint figure) to wear as she stood or sat on an altar in a Catholic church in San Pedro Sacatepéquez. Dressing saints in traditional Maya attire is an obvious way in which the two…

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…

Guna blouse panels are made from machined cloth and commercial thread first introduced by missionaries and now widely available. However, the elaborately cut and sewn patterns are only possible using the sharp scissors the missionaries also brought…

This modern Maya backstrap loom has most of its original parts, except for the belt (fastened to the lower bar that goes around the weaver’s waist) and a new rope added to the top bar and affixed onto a tree branch or a house post. Tension is created…