Gender in Maya Society - Art

Art

The importance of the Moon goddess is seen through her depiction in the codices and in ancient murals. Another often depicted goddess is Ixchel. However, these were not the only forms of art for the ancient Maya. Textiles were an important aspect of ancient Mayan life, and while it is not known whether all women produced textiles, those textiles that were produced were created by women. The objects that women used in the spinning and weaving processes were different, depending on the social class of the women. Noble women had the good fortune to use dye in textiles. Also, the products that were used in the spinning were different; the noble women used higher quality fibers. Craft and fiber evidence from the city of Ceren, which was buried by volcanic ash in 600 C.E., indicates that women's textile work was no longer considered a mundane task. The tapestries being woven at the time of the city’s destruction were works of art, no longer simply constructed for a specific household purpose. The fact that these works of art were being created suggests that there was a market for them. Women thus held power in their ability to work thread and to create something that retained a value.