Mazahua jorongo - sarape
Name/Title
Mazahua jorongo - sarapeEntry/Object ID
2024.02.014Description
This traditional men’s jorongo is made from handspun natural wool, featuring alternating cream and reddish-brown vertical stripes. The textile is woven on an upright loom and finished with twisted fringe at both ends. Of particular note is the neckline slit, which has not been cut post-weaving but rather carefully woven in using the kelim technique—a tapestry-like method that creates a structurally reinforced slit by interlocking weft threads in the desired shape. This approach avoids weakening the weave, as would happen with a later incision, and allows the design to integrate seamlessly with the surrounding pattern. The textile displays symmetrical layout with a wide central band of stepped diamond motifs bordered by thin and wide stripes, each rendered in reddish-brown wool against the creamy wool ground. The entire piece is finished with wool tassels twisted from both weft and warp ends, adding decorative texture and traditional flourish. The wool is tightly spun, producing a dense but flexible surface ideal for outerwear, particularly in the cooler climates of the Mexican highlands.Made/Created
Date made
circa 1985Ethnography
Cultural Region
* Untyped Cultural Region
Bajío Region, MexicoCulture/Tribe
Mazahua
Otomi