Huipil Embroidered birds

Huipil Embroidered birds Pink flowers around the neck Light blue base with black stripes.

Anonymous Artisan

Textiles

31” x 31”

Ancient Maya religion included a goddess of weaving, Ix Chel. She is often shown wearing a backstrap loom, which is the traditional Maya loom. Throughout contemporary Maya culture, weaving and embroidery remain widespread. The huipil, a loose fitting tunic, is still by far the most common apparel among Maya women. Each garment is unique and may require two or three months to complete, and each village has developed a distinctive design. Textiles are an integral part of Maya identity and of both everyday and ceremonial life.

This huipil is from Santiago Atitlán, on Lake Atitlán in Guatemala, the town known for huipiles with colorful, richly detailed embroidered birds. This one is an example of the highest quality embroidery, with many birds filling the entire space leaving no negative space.

The last photo is an inside embroidery detail.