Shawl of San Antonio de Aguas Calientes

Shawl of San Antonio de Aguas Calientes. Caqchikel ethnic group. sacatepequez. Guatemala. First half of the 20th century.

Made of artisan-spun Creole cotton, it is a blanket woven on a Creole pedal loom, warp-facing with four edges, in two fields, joined by a very special ornamental seam, exclusive for these textiles, consisting of recurring embroidery. of small jugs of different colors.

The ornamental design of the field is of alternating fine combs, grouped by different colors in lanes of three. The colors are not bright, given that Ixcaco cotton, as the native cotton of Guatemala is called, is brownish in color.

These blankets are called "cargadores" in their land of origin, since they are used not only as a garment on the shoulders, but also to transport all kinds of food, even carrying their children on their backs in rural Mayan areas. .