Saint's Shirt c. 1975 - 1980

This Saint's Shirt was made by the Maya people, and is now part of the collection at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Textiles have always been a central facet of Maya culture, bearing witness to their customs, beliefs, and social structures. The shirt is made from woven cotton, adorned with vertical stripes in red, blue, yellow, and white. These colors and patterns aren't random, they carry specific meanings within the Maya cosmovision. In Maya society, clothing is a marker of identity. The designs woven into garments can indicate a person’s community, social status, and even their spiritual affiliations. Textiles are a means of preserving and transmitting cultural knowledge. As historians, our understanding of the Saint's Shirt is greatly enriched by examining the wider social and institutional contexts in which it was created. We can consult ethnographies, historical documents, and studies of Maya art and culture to deepen our understanding of this artifact. By doing so, we recognize that the shirt is more than just an object; it’s a testament to the endurance of the Maya people.