The Southwest Zapotec Indians And Their Historical Art

Known by the Aztecs for their skill in weaving

, the southwest Zapotec Indians are still producing their works of textile art today. While isolated in southern Mexico by mountains and distance from the rest of the world, it is possible for anyone now to acquire one of these beautiful and traditional rugs or tapestries. The Zapotecs still weave entirely by hand, using only the wool from the sheep found in the area. All the Zapotec textile products are made of 100% wool, so you can be assured of their authenticity and cultural heritage.

Purchasing a unique piece of Zapotec textile art is an awesome addition to your southwest decor as well as an educational and cultural experience. All of the weavings are made by hand by the talented Zapotec Indian people. You can be assured that hundreds of years of artistic heritage is behind each piece, when purchasing a tapestry, rug, or pillow made by southwest Zapotec Indians. Any room or home decorated in the southwest style will achieve even more authenticity from Zapotec creativity.

Unchanged for hundreds of years, the process used by the Zapotec Indians to weave their rugs and tapestries has remained the same. This makes the process slower, but also assures that each textile piece produced is an individual work of art and can never be duplicated. The knowledge needed to handle not only the mechanical side of weaving, but also how to design the patterns to be used is passed down from generation to generation. There is always a need for new concepts and ideas when weaving however, many of the designs used are traditional and will always remain the same. Master weaver families provide a premier line of woven textiles renowned for the skill with which they are created as well as their design qualities.

Dedicated to keeping the traditional skills alive associated with their culture, the Zapotec Indians pay special attention to every step of the process of creating fine rugs and tapestries. The sheep used for the wool are descendants of those brought by the Spanish when they first landed in Mexico. After shearing, the wool is carded by hand, then spun on a spinning wheel into the thread that will be used in the weaving. The wool is spun into skeins, still needing to be dyed, which will be done by hand in the Zapotec village. Once the wool has been colored to the demanding specification of the master dyer, it is hung up to be dried. After drying, it is delivered to the weavers, who turn the simple skeins of wool into textile works of art. The whole process is natural and organic from start to finish, and there can be no mistaking the quality of a rug, pillow, or tapestry made in this way. You are helping the Zapotec people to achieve self-sufficiency and independence by purchasing one of these southwest Indian masterpieces.

by: Craig Chambers

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