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The Rug Weavings Of The Southwest Zapotec Indians

By Craig Chambers

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 24Jun2010 Word count: 497 Viewed: 193 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

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.

Getting a genuine piece of Zapotec Indian art is both a wonderful southwest decor addition and an educational, cultural experience. Every piece of southwest Zapotec Indian art is created by hand, by these talented and creative people. When purchasing a tapestry, rug, or pillow made by southwest Zapotec Indians, you can be assured that hundreds of years of artistic heritage is behind each piece. Any room or home decorated in the southwest style will achieve even more authenticity from Zapotec creativity.

The process used by the Zapotec Indians to weave their rugs and tapestries has remained unchanged for hundreds of years. 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. While many of the designs used are traditional, there is always a need for new concepts and ideas when dealing with any creative process. 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. After being spun into skeins, the wool still needs to be dyed and this is done in the Zapotec village, once again by hand. 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. It is also good to know that by purchasing one of these southwest Zapotec Indian masterpieces that you are helping this native people to achieve self-sufficiency and independence and a measurable improvement in their lives.

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