Zapotec Wool Rugs
Fine Zapotec Wool Rugs
Teotitlan del Valle is a pueblo (village) in the Valley of Oaxaca. It was the first pueblo founded by the Zapotec Indians more than 8000 years ago. From earliest times, the people of Teotitlan have been recognized for their weaving. Their rugs currently receive international recognition for quality, beauty, and use of natural materials. Ancient traditions persist in Teotitlan, including the use of natural dyes, designs that reflect Zapotec history and culture, and the common use of the indigenous Zapotec language.
In the 16th century, the Spaniards introduced the shuttle loom, operated with foot pedals and treadles. This continues to be in use today. While the modern world has influenced some of the rug weavers, our gallery collection is limited to the use of traditional methods and materials, producing rugs similar in quality and value to Navaho rugs.
Rug Making Techniques and Materials
Wool from Churra sheep is bought from the mountainous La Mixteca region of Oaxaca. It is washed in a river with natural soap made from the root of a local plant. This kills any insects it may contain. The wool is then sorted on the basis of its natural colors, dried, and combed to remove impurities and make it smooth. Following this, it is spun by hand and washed again. The wool is then ready to be dyed in large vats of boiled natural dyes.
Teotitlan rugs are valued for their beautiful colors produced from nature. Typically the materials used for dyes are huisache for black, alfalfa or rock moss for green, nutshells for brown, marigolds for orange, pomegranate shell for gold, indigo plant for blue, and cochineal for red. By blending colors, a gorgeous palette is available. Cochineal is especially interesting. Cochineal is a parasitic insect that attaches itself to prickly pear and nopal cactus. Crushing the larvae creates a strong crimson hue, which can be made into about 25 different shades of red. In order to produce 1 kg. of cochineal dye, 150,000 insects must be picked by hand.
The dying process is very time-consuming. Sometimes yarn is left in the dye vats for hours, days, or even weeks to achieve a desired shade. Lime and salt are added to the dye mixture to seal colors. Afterwards, the yarn is washed, wrung out, and dried in the sun. Once dry, the yarn is wound onto bobbins in preparation for the weaving.
Prior to weaving, a pattern is designed and recorded on paper, including the colors that will be used to make a particular rug. Often, a full-size sketch on paper is placed underneath the warp threads and referred to during the weaving process. Teotitlan looms are built of pine by villagers, who then mount them on four posts and make them into table-like structures. In the weaving process, uncolored warp threads are wound around 2 rollers on either end of the loom. To operate the loom, the weaver stands at one end and begins the design by passing bobbins of colored yarn on a shuttle through the warp threads. When the weaver steps on a floor pedal, every other warp thread lifts from the loom. After each pass of the shuttle, the second set of warp threads lift, and a pattern forms. Periodically, the weaver pulls a batten, or comb, against the woven threads to compress them and produce a tight weave. Complicated designs require changing bobbins with each color variation and intricate counting of warp threads to be lifted.
Once a weaving is completed, it is cut loose from the loom and scraped with a metal scraper to remove burrs and other organic matter in the wool. Finally, the warp threads are tied together, usually to form braided or twisted fringe. Depending on the size and complexity, rugs can take from about a week to 8 months to complete.
Zapotec Rug Designs
Zapotec weavers in Teotitlan create a range of designs from modern motifs to Navaho geometrics to ancient and historical patterns. While designs may be new, traditions and cultural history are a source of inspiration.
Several designs are commonly seen in Zapotec rugs. Understanding their meaning adds to the enjoyment of the rug. There are pre-Columbian archeological sites around the Oaxaca valley that reveal very old designs. One seen in Mitla has a façade of stone carved in a geometric stepped fret. This design represents Zapotec concepts about life, nature, and eternity. Ruins from Monte Alban provide inspiration from glyphs and codices, the picture writing of the ancient Zapotecs.
The serrated diamond, (El Diamonte), is a universal pattern seen in weavings all over the world. The addition of a “maguey” (cactus) border has been found throughout Mexico dating back several centuries. El Diamonte is also called, “Zapotec Sun”.
The Caracol (snail) is a pattern taken from a 6th century pre-Columbian carving found in Teotitlan’s church. The caracol conceptualizes the circularity of human existence. Life starts in nothing and ends in nothing, with no beginning and no end, continuous and unending.
Other commonly used patterns are large central medallions known as “Sol of Oaxaca” or “Zapotec Estrella” (star), Relampagos (lightening), and Montanitas (little mountains).
Value of Zapotec Rugs
Handmade Zapotec rugs from Teotitlan have achieved international recognition for their quality, design, and cultural tradition. These rugs are highly collectable and are a valuable investment.
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