Vintage Guatemalan Mayan Handwoven Threaded Cotton Wall Hanging Art. Depicts multiple rows of geometric shapes and figures, including matching  repeating warriors in different colors and a main line in the center with large felines. 

Size: 31 1/2 x 22 in. 

Historians believe that weaving was introduced to the Mayan people around the end of their Preclassic period (2000 B.C. to 250 A.D.), becoming an essential part of their way of life within a century as each region, town, and even families began to develop distinct patterns and techniques. Their advanced skills in mathematics, astronomy, and architecture were particularly reflected in the motifs, subjects, and construction of much of their art. After the collapse of the Mayan political structure in the 9th Century and later the utter destruction of Mayan culture by the Spanish, ceramics, basketry, and weaving became a fundamental way of preserving what little was left of their stories and ceremonial beliefs, with most of the remaining weavers concentrated in the area now known as Guatemala. Although their art has evolved, reflecting various influences from trade, migration, and the significant impact of outsiders, the continual use of their unique loom (known as the backstrap) is the key reason for this preservation, allowing them to literally take and make their art wherever they wish. 

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