Sculpture

Both men and women wore wraparound hipcloths or skirts. These garments were woven in long pieces, stitched together as they came off the loom, and wrapped and draped in elaborate folds around the body. Excess material hung from the waist, as seen here, or was dramatically flung over the shoulder. Women covered their torsos in similar lengths of wraparound fabric or wore long, geometrically-patterned tunics similar to contemporary Mayan huipiles, examples of which are on view in this gallery. Headdresses were also part of a woman's ceremonial attire and were extremely diverse, ranging from simple headbands to tall, feathered or furred ensembles. This figure is shown wearing a large tzute draped over her head, ear spools, bracelets, and a prominent string of beads. Such jewelry was most likely made from jade, suggesting this figure represents a Mayan woman of high status.