Classic Textiles from Cueva del Lazo (Chiapas, Mexico). Archaeological context and conservation issues

Abstract

The excavation of Cueva del Lazo, a cave on the cliffs of the Río La Venta River canyon in the Zoque region of Western Chiapas (Mexico), led to the discovery of a complex Late Classic post-sacrificial context where eleven children were buried wrapped in textile bundles. The environmental conditions of the dry cave allowed an extraordinary preservation of perish- able materials including textiles, cordages, botanical remains, etc. In the first part of the paper we provide a brief introduction to the archaeology of the Selva El Ocote, as well as a descrip- tion and interpretation of the Cueva del Lazo archaeological context. The second part of the text is devoted to a detailed de- scription of manufacture techniques and of the conservation process to which the textiles were submitted. In the conclud- ing section some comparisons with modern Zoque textiles and future research venues are commented.