Pre-conquest plant fibers from the tehuacan valley, mexico

Summary

Altogether, a total of 46 samples, selected by the archeologists as cotton, were examined. of these, more than half (32 samples) are cotton or largely cotton. The cotton grown and used in the Tehuacán area varies widely in color from pure white to rich brown. The bulk of the cotton was an off-white or tan color. In three instances, cotton yarns which had apparently been specially coated were found. Several samples of yarn had been dyed red or blue.

The remaining samples of fiber include pochote orCeiba seed fiber, leaf fiber (includingAgave leaf fiber), bast fiber, and one sample of urticaceous fiber (probablyBoehmeria). In several instances, the bast fibers are fine and soft, and had been made into yarn or textile. One of these yarns was dyed red.

In five samples, abundant animal hair was found with the cotton fiber. All of these samples were found in El Riego Cave. Probably, animal hair was spun into the cotton yarns deliberately.