The Chiapas Highlands comprise a remote and relatively unknown area of Mexico that possesses among the most interesting, varied, and masterful textile traditions in the world. Separated by extreme terrain and distinct climates, villages in this region have developed weaving techniques and styles of dress that have persisted for centuries. In this richly illustrated, bilingual book, readers will visit 20 villages, learn their history and folklore, get an insider's look at their festivals, traditions, and daily lives, and revel in their stunning handwoven cloth. Ritual transvestites, Virgin statues draped with native blouses, village officials wearing tunics designed to look like howler monkey fur, men and women alike in elaborately floral shawls and ponchos-these are just a few of the unforgettable images captured in this book.

Centuries ago the Maya people created a magnificent culture. Pyramids, temples, astronomical sites, populous cities, and a culture of beauty and sophistication marked what we now know as southern Mexico and Central America. The mysterious "collapse" of the great city-states of the Maya world to the 10th century is as great archaeological mystery. And yet the Maya people, and their culture, live on. Especially in the state of Chiapas in southern Mexico. Even with civil wars and severe economic hardship, the Maya continue to celebrate and sustain their heritage in extraordinary traditional dress and festivals that are both riotous and sacred. Enter the world through the pages of this book. Understand the roots of Maya culture and costume as it is expressed in their ancient history and legends, and in their ever-evolving, colorful, beautifully handcrafted dress. You will see exquisite gauze fabrics that trace their origins from the 9th century AD to a present-day village; festival wear that blends Roman Catholicism and paganism, reverence and mockery; gloriously brocaded and embroidered wardrobes that tie communities together; embroidery techniques that reflect displacements and migration- fabrics that trace the history and evolution of a people.