Mexican Zapotec Rugs

Teotitlan

• The historic center of Zapotec weaving is the town of Teotitlan, in Oaxaca's central valley. Today, some 150 weaving families live there, according to Lonely Planet, and many have showrooms and/or offer workshop tours.

History

• According to the Oaxaca-based ecotourism site Planeta.com, Teotitlan's weavers produced cotton textiles as long ago as 500 B.C. In the 16th century, Dominican friars introduced sheep--and wool--to the town, as well as the pedal looms still used today.

Designs

• The rugs' designs have traditionally been inspired by Zapotec gods, glyphs and geometric patterns. Planeta notes that some weavers have incorporated Navajo patterns into their work, drawing the ire of traditionalists.

Coloring

• Chemical dyes replaced natural coloring in the early 20th century, but some contemporary Zapotec weavers are rediscovering traditional, natural dyes made from materials like berries, flowers, lichen, moss, cochineal and indigo.

Quality

• According to OaxacaOaxaca.com, the best Zapotec rugs have straight edges, lie flat, and are tightly woven, with about 20 threads to the inch. To test dye quality, the site recommends dipping a corner in water and squeezing it onto a napkin.