Mayan society was hierarchical and rigid, where privileges and quality of life depended on social status, a condition that applied even in clothing. Learn about everything related to Mayan clothing and its uses according to the occasion!
Mayan clothing
The Mayan society was a very complex and multiethnic one, it reached its zenith during what they call the classic period between 250 and 900 after Christ.
The different city-states that made up the Mayan Empire interact with each other, mainly through commercial activity, producing an exchange of customs, products and knowledge.
The Mayan society was hierarchical, that is, it was divided into several classes, from the highest, which was the ruling class, the king and his entourage, the nobles, the non-noble elites, and the lower classes, which were made up of the commoners and the commoners. slaves.
Depending on the social status, this would be their life, that included their homes, way of eating and of course clothing, which varied from one social group to another.
Mayan clothing for men
The Mayan clothing differed a lot between the sexes, that is, men and women dressed totally differently. In the case of the gentlemen, the most essential element of Maya clothing was a form of undergarment, which was between two and three meters long and approximately ten inches wide.
Similar to a loincloth, the cloth was wrapped around the waist several times before being passed between the legs. Men of noble class used to decorate this fabric with feathers at the ends.
Some of the Mayan images and representations showed knights wearing a patty, bare-chested. This large piece of cloth was decorated according to the social class of the owner. In some cases, a cloak tied around the neck, which covered the shoulders, was also used to sleep.
Mayan clothing for women
Women often wore a skirt and a loose tunic-like blouse, known today as a huipil. Skirts were tied with a belt or knotted in place and the huipil was worn over the skirt.
The ladies could decorate their skirts, however, the quality of these ornaments depended on the social level, the nobles had more colorful decorations, as they had the opportunity to show off their wealth.
However, according to the writings of Bishop Diego de Landa, the women's favorite piece of clothing was known asor blanket, was placed tied around the torso.
Depending on the occasion, women were also seen dressed in different types of dresses, generally they were full-length tunics, which were sewn on the sides and a mantle.
Materials used for clothing
The materials for making clothes were usually cotton, vegetable bark cloth and hemp fiber. Maya clothing made from bark tissue was reserved primarily as ritual clothing.
Cotton was a widely used material, the Mayans had two different types of this material, one white and the other brown, which was known as Cuyuscate.
Pieces of cloth, especially cotton, were dyed with pigments of plant and animal origin. The most common colors for pieces of cloth were green, purple, blue, black, and red.
Some upper-class women's clothing was decorated with colorful and very expensive feathers, as well as pearls and other stones.
Complement of Mayan clothing
It is very common in any culture that clothing is complemented by other accessories, which are responsible for giving life and meaning to it.
The Mayan culture was no exception, the different social classes used accessories according to their level and possibility to satisfy their needs and in some cases their vanity, these include:
Mayan Footwear
Footwear was an important part of costumes in general and like clothing, quality and ornaments depended on the social class of the individual.
The most common type of footwear was sandals with straps, one of which was in the space between the first and second toes, while the other went between the third and fourth toes. The lower classes wore very simple sandals, made of animal skin without decorations or refinements, while people from the elite classes wore more elaborate footwear.
Headpieces
Headdresses were an important part of Mayan attire, usually very flashy and luxurious. The Mayans made headdresses with different materials and their quality, design and size denoted the status or social position of the person who exhibited it. Royalty wore the largest, most colorful and well-adorned headdresses.
The nobility was another of the classes that wore very well elaborated headdresses and with a certain showiness, without equaling those of the ruling class.
Those animal-shaped headdresses used to define the lineage or occupation of the wearer. For example, a military leader usually wore jaguar headdresses, a symbol of war in the Mayan culture.
In the case of commoners, they were prohibited from wearing headdresses, so it was a complement that served to accentuate social classification in Mayan society.
The custom of wearing headdresses was directly associated with the Mayan idea that elongated heads were a sign of beauty.
Many members of the Mayan nobility looked for a way to make their heads look elongated and their foreheads flattened, even burning the hair on the forehead to make it appear even larger.
The remaining hair was held in a ponytail at the top of the head, where the headdress made especially for her classes was placed.
Many objects and materials were used to decorate and embellish the headdresses, offering truly surprising results and also considered an art form.
The basic structure of these headdresses was made of wood or cloth. Many of the bases made of wood were used in those that imitated the shape of different animals.
The Mayan nobility invested considerable resources in the elaboration of their headdresses, which generally had similarities with the most popular animals in the Mayan culture, such as the jaguar, the snake, the eagle, lizards, etc.
The use of jade and precious stones was very frequent to highlight some aspects of the animal that was imitated. In addition, colored feathers were used, a material that was considered a symbol of power and prestige, so commoners were prohibited from wearing them in public.
The feathers were considered the most precious part of a headdress, giving beauty, color and much prestige, the most coveted being those of the quetzal.
This highly prized bird in Mayan society was hunted for its beautiful feathers, which were reserved specifically for royalty in almost all Mayan cities.
A relevant aspect in this Mesoamerican culture was its taste for the ball game known in classic Maya as pitz. It was the most popular sport in the Mayan cities and was played between two rival teams, who used bright and colorful headdresses to distinguish them from each other in a game.
Jewelry
When the Mayans did not have access to metals, they made beautiful and intricate pieces of jewelry from animal teeth and bones.
Jaguar teeth were one of the favorite materials for making jewelry during this period, as this animal was very important in Mayan mythology.
Other resources frequently used for jewelry were claws, shells, even stones and feathers worked with care. Later they discovered not only metals such as gold and silver, but also precious stones from the regions where they lived, so the jewelry changed.
In later periods of the Mayan civilization, jewelry pieces were made from a wide range of materials, including gold, jade, obsidian, bronze, and silver.
Mayan jewelry was an impressive and diverse display of pieces, which were used as public displays of power and privilege and some jewelry items were used as religious symbols.
Huge and heavy pendants, necklaces, rings, and earplugs, so heavy that they tended to extend the earlobe to extraordinary lengths, were the most elaborate pieces among craftsmen.
The Mayans also used jewelry in nose and lip plugs, nose plugs being very common among men of great prestige.
Jewelry adorns the lips, ears, neck, and hair, its use being exclusive to the upper classes, while commoners were prohibited from wearing it.
jade jewelry
Among the various materials used to make the exquisite jewelry, we find jade, a very popular and expensive material.
The type of jade found in the Mayan lands was known as jadeite, being incredibly difficult to work with, one of the reasons that made the pieces much more expensive. It is possible that jade jewelry was valued so much, due to the large amount of work required to make it.
Most ancient cultures treasured art objects based on the amount of work they required, it is understandable that the investment of time and work of the craftsman who made jade jewelry, turned the piece into one of the most valued items in Mayan society.
In general, jade jewelry was made using animal designs and religious symbols from Mayan mythology.
After its discovery, it became one of the most valued and used materials in the manufacture of jewelry. Jade was considered a very valuable material in other cultures where it was used by the nobility and royalty, being exported to other non-Mayan cities, as a valuable part of the trade.
However, for the Mayans they also had another type of importance, since it was related to the deities and the notion of eternity.
The Mayans designed and created many different types of jewelry using jade as the main component, such as earplugs, bracelets, rings, and headdresses adorned entirely with jade.
The hardness of this ornamental stone, the great amount of work to shape it, made it expensive, showy and coveted, so its use was limited to royalty in Mayan society.
Who created these pieces?
Jewelry craftsmen were mostly commoners who worked on it and crafted it to perfection and even though they came from this class, they were considered above the other commoners and lived better than them.
However, even when the artisans made these beautiful pieces, they were forbidden to wear them, because wearing jewelry was a social privilege and an honor that they as commoners would not have.
The general rule was that the higher the social status of an individual, the more valuable and fine the jewelry they wore.
Uses of Mayan jewelry
In all the Mayan city-states, jewelry was used only by the upper classes, royalty and nobility. Being a way to show their power, status and wealth, one of the many ways to distinguish themselves among the other inhabitants.
It was considered as art and each piece was marketed in Mayan and non-Mayan cities, jade jewelry being highly sought after.
The Mayans also made gold, silver, bronze and copper jewelry, being a profitable product in commercial transactions with non-Mayan cultures as well. These were exchanged for products they needed. Maya rulers gifted jade jewelry to their contemporaries in other cities, as a show of honor.
It was frequently used as currency in trade and offerings to the gods, one of the most precious tributes. In some cases, the priests used jewelry made of jade as an instrument to heal the sick or in many religious rituals.
Dress according to the occasion
The Mayan civilization had a rich, varied and colorful culture, but as specified above, a rigid hierarchical society, where the rights and privileges of people depended on their social status.
This also applies to Mayan clothing, as people from the lower classes were not allowed to dress in certain types of clothing, reserved exclusively for royalty and nobility, as in certain European cultures of the Middle Ages.
The families belonging to the elites used luxurious and very elaborate clothing, complemented by headdresses of fine precious stones and very well decorated shoes. On the contrary, the common people used very simple clothing and footwear, according to their social status.
It is important to know that there were different types of Mayan clothing and some were reserved for public events, religious, etc.
Dance
Singing and dancing were an essential part of public life in the Mayan culture, religious ceremonies, festivals and even wars had their dances and songs.
It was very common for the Mayans to wear large costumes, made of skin, jade and feathers for dances at festivals and ceremonies. They were always decorated with exotic materials of different kinds.
When it came to dancing, the participants were dressed in generally extravagant pieces, large racks, long feathers, colorful and ornate, but very light despite all the details of the elaboration, being easy to move and dance.
public events
Mayan dress for public events was very elaborate and definitely exuberant, nothing compared to the clothes of everyday life. Public events were generally related to the different rituals and ceremonial obligations of the community.
The Mayan dress for the ruling class in this type of event consisted of large and reigning pieces of clothing, decorated with feathers, precious stones and ornaments that reflected their status in society and of course their wealth.
The elements that made these sets striking and imposing were the accessories, feather headdresses, luxurious jewelry mainly made of jade, pieces made of animal skin, especially jaguars.
war dress
War was a frequent and important event in the Mayan culture, due to the constant conflicts and disagreements between the different city-states.
The differences with other cities generally ended in wars and these required meticulous preparations, including the exclusive Mayan clothing for warriors and fighters.
Special protective clothing was designed and carried out as a form of defense. This outfit was made up of essential elements to protect warriors and fighters as much as possible, for example:
- Quilted blankets of twisted cotton or thick sheets.
- Layers of animal skin.
- Large shields decorated with feathers and different hides and skins.
- Headdresses and very elaborate jewelry.
It is claimed that the costumes of the Mayan warriors were very well designed and carefully made, but they were not as surprising as the costumes of the Aztec warriors of later times.
History of Mayan clothing
The history of Mayan clothing dates back to the stage known as preclassic, when the foundations of this civilization were established. During this time, the structure of social classes and the religious precepts that governed the life of the Mayan city-states were also established. .
Certain conventions and customs, including those related to Mayan clothing, became firmly established during the classic period of civilization.
In the case of clothing, the custom was established to reserve certain styles and colors of clothing only for the people of the nobility and members of the royalty, prohibited for the other classes.
These types of conventions were followed by many contemporary and subsequent civilizations, such as the Aztecs.
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