Zapotec rugs are a great way to add Native decorating style to your southwestern home. These hand-crafted rugs are known around the world for their traditional craftsmanship, vibrant colors, and unique patterns. Indian rugs are a wonderful decorating accessory for use in ranch style homes and cabins, southwestern homes, or anywhere you would like to enhance color and elegance. They look very nice when used with southwestern decor, and also make fantastic Native style wall hangings for complementary color on your walls. Like the Navajo rug of North America, Zapotec rugs make it simple to achieve wonderful Native design style in any room of your home.
Understanding the background of Zapotec rug weaving gives you a full appreciation of the hard work of weaving rugs. The Zapotec Indians, a people with a long history and no known records of migration, believed themselves to be born of their natural environment. They were mainly farmers until after the Spanish conquest during the 1500s, when they were presented with new methods of weaving by the Spanish. Along with the weaving loom, the Spanish transported the first sheep from Europe and taught the Zapotec how to weave. The area of Teotitlan Del Valle in Oaxaca is where the world-famous rug weaving originated and still continues today.
The vibrant colors and patterns are the first thing you will notice about Zapotec weavings. Though some rug weavers have started to use artificial dyes, many still use the traditional and natural elements from the region to dye their wool. If you happen to pass by the workshop of an Oaxacan rug artist throughout the day, you might see them dying wool in big pots of beautiful colored dye, over an open fire. Some of the things used to dye the wool include plants, seeds and fruit. Perhaps one of the most interesting dyes they use is derived from an insect called the cochineal. Once the insect is dried, it is then pulverized to make a beautiful red dye.
Often the whole family is included in the business of rug weaving, with each person having a part in the production of an exquisite rug. The wool must first be cleaned and washed, dyed, and then spun into yarn before weaving begins. You will find it very fascinating that each rug has its own design and is an exquisite masterpiece of the artist. The fact that no two rugs are the same is one of the reasons that make these rugs very popular. Zapotec rugs are ideal for Native American art collectors that like unique pieces, or for those who enjoy Indigenous arts and crafts and rustic home decor.
In whatever way you choose to use your Zapotec rug, whether as an elegant floor rug, or as a southwestern wall hanging or tapestry, you will definitely admire the beauty and craftsmanship of these Indian rugs. With such a variety to choose from, you will no doubt find the perfect one to match your decor. Although you might find Zapotec rugs or similar style southwestern rugs in stores that sell home decor, you will probably find lower prices online. Dress up your southwest or rustic style decor, with the beauty and quality that is distinctive of Zapotec rugs.
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