Oaxaca Rug Weavers

His family has worked in 100 natural dyes for over 20 years.

Oaxaca rug weavers. Teotitlán del valle is known for its textiles especially rugs which are woven on hand operated looms from wool obtained from local sheep and dyed with local natural dyes. A gorgeous and delightful piece of work jenny c. Artisan crafted sky blue zapotec 100 wool rug from oaxaca. Learn more about the history patterns and process of rug weaving in oaxaca from norma schafer s blog oaxaca cultural navigator.

My family and i are from teotitlan del valle a small village in the state of oaxaca located in the southwestern part of mexico. Found just east of oaxaca city off the main road to popular archeological sites of yagul and mitla and just a little past el tule the giant super cypress tree. Visitors to oaxaca who are interested in visiting weavers and purchasing rugs should visit these villages to see the rug making process first hand. Zapotec rugs are wool woven in a foot loom in teotitlan del valle oaxaca the town has a pre hispanic weaving tradition and is world famous for its fine tapestries and wall hangings decorated with traditional zapotec and mixtec fretwork idols animals or reproductions of famous creations by artists like diego rivera pablo picasso and m c.

The wool is washed using soap made from the root of the amole plant a type of agave. Visit an artisan weavers village in oaxaca mexico artisans in the village of teotitlan del valle in southern mexico have been weaving rugs as their ancestors have for centuries. We dedicate ourselves to hand weaving zapotec rugs tapetes a tradition passed down from generation to generation from our. As younger weavers who chose to stay involved in the family business step in more modern symbols and custom designs appear as well.

My rug was woven with a black background with many vibrant colors many of the dyes from natural sources in traditional zapotec design though they can do custom work as well. My name is pantaleon ruiz martinez master zapotec weaver and founder of arriero rugs. Most of the inhabitants of these zapotec communities speak the zapotec language as well as spanish and they have maintained many of their traditions and festivities. Zapotec rug weavers of teotitlan del valle oaxaca porfirio santiago is at his loom diligently weaving a massive 2 x 3 meter rug with traditional designs from memory with representations of zapotec diamonds rainfall maize and mountains just as his father tomás grandfather ildefonso and great grandfather.

José buenaventura gonzalez gutierrez is an organic master mexican weaver from teotitlán del valle oaxaca mexico. Its just like the one i fell in love with on exhibit in their stall and i couldn t be more pleased. Omar is 24 years old born and raised in the zapotec rug weaving village of teotitlan del valle oaxaca and is a fluent english speaker.