Zapotec Woven Blanket Rug Warrior Chief Neutral Colours Southern Mexico

Zapotec Woven Blanket Rug, Zapotec Warrior Chief, Neutral Colours, Southern Mexico.

Striking Native American Design Makes a Bold and Appealing Visual Statement, Warrior Central Figure, Holding a Club Weapon and Shield, Wearing a Bird Mask Atop His Head.

The Central Valleys of Oaxaca is the Cradle of the Zapotec Civilization.

In Oaxaca, you can visit the home studios of weaving families and see all the hard work that goes into creating these works of art. Most of the Oaxacan rugs and tapestries are made in Teotitlan del Valle, a village located some 30 km east of Oaxaca City.

This village of about 5000 inhabitants has rightly gained worldwide fame for its production of woollen rugs and tapestries. 

History of Zapotec Weaving

The village of Teotitlan del Valle has a long weaving tradition that dates back to Prehispanic times. It is known that the Zapotec people of Teotitlan paid tribute to the Aztecs in woven goods, although the weaving of that time was quite different from today. In ancient America there were no sheep, so no wool; most of the weavings were made of cotton. The tools of the trade were also very different, as there were no spinning wheels or treadle looms in ancient Mesoamerica.

Most weavings were done on a backstrap loom, which is still used today in some locations.

The Process

Most of the Zapotec rugs are made of wool, with a cotton warp, although some other fibres are also used on occasion. There are some very special pieces that are woven in silk. Some weavers have been experimenting with the addition of feathers to their woollen rugs, incorporating some ancient techniques.

The weavers of Teotitlan del Valle purchase wool in the market. The sheep are bred higher up in the mountains, in the Mixteca Alta area, where temperatures are colder and the wool grows thicker. They wash the wool with a root called amole (soap plant or soaproot), a natural soap which is very bitter and, according to the local weavers, serves as a natural insecticide, keeping pests away.

When the wool is clean and dry, it is carded by hand, and then spun with a spinning wheel. Then it is dyed. 

Item Code - TEX1D572PAN 

Length: 84" -  7'  Width: 49 1/2" - 4' 1 1/2"  Weight: 1.655 kg