Chamarro
Santo Tomas Chichicastenango, Guatemala
Wool, natural dyes
Early 20th century
82" (182.5 cm) long by 33" (84 cm) wide

A ceremonial serape used in the cofradia in Santo Tomas Chichicastenango. These are very rare and haven't been made since the 1950s. See "Maya Textiles of Guatemala: The Eisen Collection of 1902" by Margot Blum Schevill, U. of Texas Press, 1993, pp. 92-3 for descriptions of examples of very similar pieces over 100 years old. They were woven by men on foot treadle looms using hand spun undyed wool; the blue and red are indigo and cochineal. It has two darned holes and a bit of fraying on one edge, in addition to the losses at the edges of the border designs.

$900