


Weaving is the main economic activity of the village of Teotitlan del Valle. This Zapotec community is famous for the quality and beauty of its woolen rugs which are woven on pedal looms. The inhabitants of Teotitlan wove in ancient times, but prior to the arrival of the Spaniards, they wove cotton and used the backstrap loom. Wool and the pedal loom were introduced later and revolutionized the weaving process. The weavers began to use synthetic dyes in the 1920s, but the use of natural dyes such as cochineal and indigo has been revived in the past few decades. Natural dyes are more time consuming to prepare, but the finished piece is of finer quality. In recent years, other innovations have taken place in Teotitlan’s textiles industry, including, for some weavers, the inclusion of other materials in their weavings, for example, the use of feathers.