![]() ![]() ![]() One huipil may take several months to weave, depending on the complexity of the design. The design of the huipil expresses cultural identity and artistic skill each woman weaves her own history and philosophy of the universe into the garment. Many types of fabric are woven on these looms, and every woman makes her uniquely-designed huipil, the traditional dress still worn in these regions. These looms can be carried easily and set up at home or in the fields. Today, Mayan women in the highlands weave fine textiles in exactly the same way. She weaves with the shuttle in her left hand. As Grandmother Ix Mukane she appears elderly, wears the snake headdress and pours water or weaves, symbolizing transformation of earth energies and alignment with cycles of time.Īs the Cosmic Weaver, Ix Chel is depicted sitting with the backstrap loom, one end tied to a tree and the other around her waist. As Earth Goddess she wears a snake headdress symbolizing her mastery of earth wisdom and powers, and pours water on earth to nourish and heal. ![]() As the young Moon Goddess, she is shown sitting in the moon holding a rabbit, symbol of fertility and abundance. Ix Chel is a complex goddess with multiple facets, concerned with healing, midwifery, sexuality, herbalism, weaving, and nature. Origins and Heritage of Mayan WeavingĪccording to Mayan mythology, Ix Chel was the patron of weaving. Drawings of goddesses in codices depict Ix Mukane the Grandmother who transforms energies on earth, and Ix Otzil who weaves the threads of destiny and symbolizes the internal weaver inside each person. The Jaina weaver figurine represented the goddess Ix Azal Uoh, considered the "weaver of life" and a symbol of the sacred spirit within all. These figurines were burial relics and portrayed the activities of the deceased. Jaina was a burial place for nobles and is famous for its figurines. One exquisite figurine of a woman weaving comes from the island of Jaina, off the coast of Campeche, Mexico. Clothing colored with Mayan blue would be expensive and highly valued, showing this woman was of highest status. Copal is the crystallized sap of a tree considered sacred and burned in ceremonies to the gods. Researchers believe the Mayas did this in rituals, burning copal incense to produce heat that bound indigo and mineral to form a deep blue pigment. This fine fabric was dyed with sacred "Mayan blue" made by binding indigo to clay mineral (palygorskite) with heat. ![]() A mural from the city of Kalakmul shows a noble woman wearing a gauzy blue dress decorated and edged with golden glyphs. Queens are portrayed wearing the "mat pattern" dress that signifies they are "persons of the mat," leaders who sat upon mats in the Council House to deliberate matters of state. Carved and painted panels on temple walls and decorated ceramics depict a rich array of ancient Mayan women's clothing. In Maya books (called codices) are drawings of women using whorls to spin thread and working with a backstrap loom. All Maya women learned to weave, the commoners using lesser grade cotton and making simple garments.Īncient Mayan art often shows women spinning and weaving with backstrap looms. Noble girls were taught to use the backstrap loom and to spin thread with whorls for making gauzy cotton and brocaded fabrics. When marriages were negotiated, the bride's skill at weaving was an important factor in determining the marriage gifts to her family. Beautiful woven fabric was both an artistic expression and a source of wealth, often given as tribute to rulers. Weaving fine clothing was the purview of noble women. No costume was complete without an elaborate headdress with waving feathers and jewels. Jewelry was worn abundantly, including large pendants, heavy necklaces, wrist and ankle cuffs, and huge earrings made of jade, jadeite, amber, quartz, alabaster, sea shells and pearls. Women wore belts decorated with shells, metallic discs, seeds and pods. In ancient times, the ypil often left arms and shoulders bare, anchored with borders above the breasts. This dress is called ypil (huipil) and is still worn by modern-day Mayas. Maya women wore shift dresses that hung to mid-calf and were adorned by borders around the neck, sleeves and hem. A backstrap loom was used to weave patterns, usually glyphs, geometric shapes, plants and flowers. They used spinning whorls to create thread that was dyed vibrant red, yellow, green, and blue. The Mayas cultivated cotton and used natural dyes from plant, animal and mineral sources. Weaving colorful cotton fabric was an art form among high ranking ancient Mayan women. ![]()
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