Why were textiles important?
Textiles were important in Maya society because the clothes people wore helped to show how wealthy they were. By studying clues about clothing, historians can learn more about how people lived.
In Maya society, cloth also played an important part in religious beliefs and art.
Women were the traditional weavers in Maya society. They made cloth by weaving threads over and under each other to create fabric.
Some of the earliest Maya weaving dates to 1000-800BC.
Important words for the Maya civilisation
| Keyword | Definition |
|---|---|
| Generation | A group of people who are born and live around the same time. |
| Imitate | To copy what someone else says or does. |
| Indigo | A natural dye, with a bright blue colour, made from the leaves of plants. |
| Mural | A large painting on a walls or buildings which tells a story. |
| Tapestry | A piece of heavy cloth with a pattern or picture woven into it. |
| Textile | Cloth made by weaving or knitting. |
| Traditional weavers | Someone who makes cloth by hand. Maya traditional weavers were usually women. |
How were the textiles made?
The Maya weavers worked mainly with cotton, which had to be washed and picked clean of seeds. This was hard work!
Cotton was associated with richer people. The loose fibres were spun into threads and woven into cloth using a loom.
The cotton was often dyed to make multi-coloured clothes. Dyes were made of insects, molluscs (shellfish), indigo and plants.
Richer women worked with feathers and pearl beads. They had to learn to weave tapestries and make highly decorated cloth.
What did people wear?
Men typically wore a loincloth around the waist with sometimes a cotton sleeveless shirt.
Women wore a huipil, a loose-fitting tunic with an opening for the head and arms, or a traje which reached to the floor, held in a place by a faja, or sash. The huipil and traje are still worn today in Mexican culture.
Image caption, A young Maya woman who is selling traditional goods at a market in Chiapas, Mexico.
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Men and women wore sandals, the farmers wore moccasins. Many women wore their hair long and in braids.
The priests and nobles wore decorative items such as jewellery. This could be made from jade, wood or bone.
What clothing was religious?
The deities (gods) were identified by their clothing and so were the humans imitating their appearance.
The Maize god was an example of this, who wore a netted overskirt made of green jade beads and a belt made of shell.
The Maize god was represented by kings and queens.
How do we know what the ancient Maya wore?
Decorated pottery and painted murals found by archaeologists show the many different types of clothing the ancient Maya wore.
Maya blue is the modern name given to a special bright blue dye that the Maya used on their clothing, pottery and murals. It is so strong that it has not faded on the many Maya artefacts discovered today.
Maya weaving traditions were also maintained and passed on from one generation of people to the next.
This shared knowledge, along with the discovery of artefacts, has helped archaeologists and historians understand what the ancient Maya may have worn and how they made their clothing.
Think like a historian
Have a look at the thinking points below and think about your answer to each question. You could even write them down on a piece of paper or discuss them with somebody else if you want to.
Why do you think clothes were so important to the Maya people?
How do we know so much about Maya clothing even though they were made so long ago?
Why do you think that it is significant that Maya weaving traditions and clothing are still being used today?
Did you think that clothing helped show who was wealthy or had a high status in Maya society? This would have helped everyone understand who held important roles. You may have also thought that clothing was important because it was used in religious ceremonies to honour the gods and show respect for them
Perhaps you thought the discovery of pottery helped show archaeologists what the Maya people wore during religious ceremonies or in everyday life. You may have thought that the weaving techniques that were passed on from one generation to the next helped to make sure some ancient Maya practices were not forgotten. Because these techniques are still used today, they have also helped historians understand how the ancient Maya made their clothing.
Perhaps you thought it is significant because Maya culture and traditions have continued through their clothing. Did you think that the Maya art style still has value in today's world and is still appreciated by people today?
Quiz – Maya clothing
Let's find out what you know about what the ancient Maya wore in this quiz.
Grown-ups corner
Are you a parent, carer or teacher?
Take a look at some of the links below on KS2 History which are packed full of knowledge, videos, quizzes and activities.
History Explorer: Secrets through time
History Explorer: Secrets through time: KS2 History
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Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade game! game
Play Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade KS2 History
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