While the Maya rebozo takes the form of a long, wide scarf, it has many uses, from serving as a cloak, to carrying babies and bundles, to serving as padding under a basket carried on the head. Like the Sash from Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala, this rebozo uses the ikat technique, which shows in the soft, watery images of flowers and birds visible within the stripes. The … [Read more...] about Rebozo with Floral Pattern: Researched by Samantha Gooding
The Chupícuaro cultures produced some of the most boldly patterned polychrome ceramics of Mesoamerica. Chupícuaro ceramics include hollow figures, bowls and jars of different shapes, and tripod vessels. The vessels are usually made using a brown or black clay that is painted commonly with geometric polychrome designs, usually in buff, red, and black, but also sometimes with … [Read more...] about Chupícuaro Vessels: Researched by Logan Williams and Caitlin Baker
As with Mesoamerican figurines, ceramic vessels were in production among Mesoamerican cultures by 2500 B.C.E. The making of ceramic vessels has continued to flourish through contemporary times, both as a craft for making utilitarian wares and as an artform for making elaborate, artistic vessels and sculptures. Traditional Mesoamerican ceramics were made using coil, slab, and … [Read more...] about Mesoamerican Ceramic Vessels: Researched by Caitlin Baker, Charles Andrew Corbett, and Logan Williams
The Huichol cultures produce art that uses images of animals and other motifs from nature, such as the sun or flowers, to symbolically record their history and ideas. The Huichol are best known for making wooden or papier-mâché sculptures that are coated with beeswax and then covered with colorful nature motifs formed using tiny, imported glass seed beads or … [Read more...] about Huichol Yarn Bird: Researched by Joakima Day
Traditional Maya textiles are crafted individually by highly skilled weavers who incorporate bright colors and intricate patterns. Since Pre-Columbian times, Maya textiles have been highly developed and highly valued, serving not only as a component of blankets, clothing, and other functional objects, but also as a way of showing status and region. Textile weaving … [Read more...] about Guatemala Maya Costume: Researched by Christina Bradshaw and Elizabeth Haughey