Mexican Native Costumes

by Luis Covarrubias

Fischgrund, c1970s, full page colour illustrations throughout (facing), staple-bound paperback

Very Good Condition, a little edge and shelf wear, a little rubbing and bumping to edges and corners, curl at top third of book, no inscriptions (see photographs)

“Since remote times, Mexican wearing apparel has been varied, rich and of spectacular appearance.  In pre-Hispanic periods, and even today in many cases, it had ritual and caste significance, or distinguished the many ethnic groups that inhabited Meso-America.  Our earliest knowledge of Mexican costume comes from the small clay figures produced by artisans of the so-called pre-classic era more than 3000 years ago.  It consisted exclusively of different kinds of headdress, necklaces, anklets, and paint on an otherwise totally nude body.  Later on, shorts, skirts, breech cloths and other simple adornments were introduced, with hair styles and headdresses becoming more complicated.  And so, in time, the costume became more and more elaborate and ornate, especially among the men, until it reached the stage of incredible magnificence that we discover in representations of the Maya hierarchy.”