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Almolonga corte #3

Manufacturer: N/A

SKU: G-T-C-13

Price: $40.00
This item is in stock

Most of the skirts or cortes used by the Maya women of Guatemala are made on treadle looms in the large textile-producing villages of the western highlands of southern Guatemala. Certain designs are village-specific, but it is now more common for the woman to choose a skirt fabric which suits her personal aesthetic. Some skirts are also made in the particular village for use in that village. Such skirts are usually quite consistent in style over time. As used, the two ends of long panels 35-50 inches wide are seamed together to form a tube. The woman steps inside this tube and folds the material in a complicated manner to form the skirt. This results in a fairly thick and heavy garment.

This skirt is of the second type -- made in Almolonga for use in Almolonga. It is of the style most popular in the late 1980s and 1990s. The fabric is cotton with a large proportion of indigo-dyed ikat. Overall size is 41 inches wide and 82 inches long if opened along the end seam. It consists of two panels each 20.5 inches wide and 82 inches long, which were then stitched together along the side to form the 41 x 82 skirt. The tube was then formed by sewing the ends together, resulting in a fabric of double thickness which is about 41 inches square. In this case, all stitches are by hand and are of the decorative randa style. In the photos below, the second picture is a closeup of the first.

Condition: excellent, lightly used but presenting no noticeable flaws, with a supple feel and mellow colors from washing.

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