The Weaving of San Juan Cotzal

The department of El Quiche is known for its traditional wool and cotton textiles. The cotton textiles are primarily made on back-strap looms. This technique is used by the women weavers of “Tejidos Cotzal”. The fabric they produce is thick, durable and high quality, with colorful embroidery incorporating sacred Mayan symbols. Every 52 years the Mayan inaugurate a “new cycle” following the Mayan calendar, and each new generation creates symbols that reflect the changes of the world, inspired by the legacy of their ancestors.