Santiago Atitlan Shawl, Tzute #6

Large woman's shawl made in this village on Lake Atitlan
Most of the rebozos used by Maya Indian women in Guatemala are made in the textile-producing towns of Quetzaltenango and Totonicapan. In some villages, however, the shawls are produced locally. Such is the case with many of the villages around Lake Atitlan.

This is a large traditional woman's shawl from the Tzutujil Maya town of Santiago Atitlan, located on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala's southern highlands. The ikat or jaspe threads are all dyed individually, in the home, and this is one of the more tedious of the jobs. This ikat almost entirely uses cotton threads. This textile was woven in the village on a backstrap loom. Such pieces are usually woven by the family for their own use.

This particular shawl is 20-30 years old, and is of all cotton. The jaspe warp is cotton, as are the other colored threads. The textile consists of two panels, joined in the center.

Dimensions: approximately 22 inches wide and 45 inches long, including the fringes.

Condition: Excellent, very lightly used, some light soil possible.