THE 6 MOST OUTSTANDING CRAFTS FROM CHIAPAS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The crafts of Chiapas are an important part of the economy of the Mexican state. They are mostly made by women, as men generally work in agriculture.

Crafts go hand in hand with tourism, since they are offered to tourists as characteristic elements of great cultural value.

The main handicraft market takes place in San Cristóbal de las Casas. There you can find the highest concentration of artisans.

This makes a lot of sense since it is in the center of the state of Chiapas, where artisans find their main clients: tourists.

Chiapas handicrafts are made mainly of materials such as amber (which is extracted from the forests of the area), wood, ceramics, fabrics, leather and rocks.

Most of the population of Chiapas is of indigenous origin, and an important part of the preservation of their culture is through handicrafts. In addition, it is an area rich in minerals, clays and wood.

You may also be interested in the culture of Chiapas or its traditions and customs.

The 6 most popular crafts in Chiapas

1- Amber jewelry

Amber Pendants - commons.wikimedia.org

Amber is the product of fossil plant resin and is considered a semi-precious stone. It occurs as a defensive mechanism of trees when the bark of these suffers some breakage caused, for example, by insects.

This resin trapped in the earth for millions of years has a striking color that gives artisans the ability to create jewelry such as pendants and rings.

Although the name "amber" comes from Arabic and means "what floats in the sea," in Chiapas it is called "the matter that drives away evil spirits."

Although amber is the most popular raw material in Chiapas, there are also other types of precious stones such as jade, whose meaning is "the stone of immortality."

2- Ceramic products

Pottery in Chiapas - casadelasartesaniaschiapas.gob.mx

This art has been practiced with the Mayans since pre-Columbian times. The main difference between this type of pottery and the rest is that the pieces are fired in the traditional way: with open firewood.

The manufacture of ceramic products is the main source of income for the people who live in the region.

In general, the potters are women, but the men also collaborate in the manufacturing process, bringing the firewood to cook the pieces.

Ceramic products have both utility (vases, flowerpots, pots) and decorative value. The clientele from tourism is the one that leans more towards the latter, while the local market demand is for utensils.

Although products have been manufactured with all kinds of animal figures, the most outstanding are jaguars, turtles, roosters and frogs.

This type of product has its main trade in Chiapas and other Mexican states. However, some of these have already entered the international market.

Some artisans have even had the opportunity to travel abroad to market their products.

3- Fabrics

Embroidered blouse from Bochil, Chiapas on display at Na Bolom in San Cristóbal de las Casas - gnu.org

The textile designs of Chiapas have a great similarity to those of Guatemala, because they are the direct inheritance of the Mayan culture.

Although there is a great variety of designs, they all share certain common patterns, such as the use of bright colors and the representation of flowers, butterflies and other characteristic animals of the jungle.

In the case of women, some traditional garments are the huipil and the chiapaneca, a dress that shows great influence from Spanish culture. Men wear woven sarapes, which are a classic of the region.

Currently this local textile manufacturing market is supported by various governmental and non-governmental organizations.

4- Lacquer or lacquerware

Lacquered gourds at the Laca Museum in Chiapa de Corzo - creativecommons.org

With an ancestral pre-Hispanic tradition, this artisan product consists of fruit peels such as pumpkins or gourds painted with oil and then enameled.

The painting techniques were evolving, even more so with the arrival of the Spanish. Currently the use of lacquer is applied not only to fruits but also to other objects such as musical instruments, masks, toys, furniture, chests and trunks.

This practice was about to disappear, but thanks to the support of the state for production and commercialization, it still exists in Chiapas de Corzo, Michoacán and Guerrero.

5- Wood products

Wood carving - casadelasartesaniaschiapas.gob.mx

To manufacture these products, the main raw materials used are mahogany and oak. Lacquer is applied to these products after carving to protect them from moisture.

Among the main pieces made of wood are home furniture and kitchen tools and utensils.

These products are the ones most in demand in the local market, followed by musical instruments (wind, string, percussion), masks and toys. They also have demand from the clientele from tourism.

Within Chiapas, carpentry work stands out mainly in the Tzotzil town, located between the north and the center of the state.

6- Traditional sweets

Turulete - corazondechiapas.com

Chiapas has a great variety of traditional sweets. The main ingredients used to make it are tropical fruits, nuts and chocolate.

Some of the most popular sweets in this market are nougat, ground coconut, sweet pumpkin and pan de muerto, among others.

However, some are made on a larger scale for certain events of the year, such as flakes spread at Christmas, sugar candies on Copus Christi Day, and studded pumpkin on Day of the Dead.

References

1. Díaz, J. & Zafra, G. (2005). Artisans and artisans: creation, innovation and tradition in the production of handicrafts. México, DF: Plaza and Valdés.
2. University of California. (1993). Crafts from Chiapas, Mexico. Mexico: Government of the State of Chiapas.
3. Novelo, V. (2000). Chiapas artisans and crafts. Mexico: State Council for Culture and the Arts of Chiapas.
4. Sepúlveda, R. (2000). Modern and contemporary art of Chiapas. Mexico: CONECULTA State Council for Culture and the Arts of Chiapas.
5. Novelo, V.. (1993). Handicrafts in Mexico. Mexico: Government of the State of Chiapas, Chiapaneco Institute of Culture.