(Indigenous Mexican deities)

Anonymous

The modern technique of making traditional bark paper, or Papel Amate, is an art form with clear pre-Hispanic origins. Five hundred years ago in historic Mesoamerica, the handmade paper was originally considered a specialty of the village shaman and used only for special rituals.

Today, authentic Papel Amate is still made by indigenous Otomi communities in the Sierra de Puebla mountains northeast of Mexico City. A variety of different tree barks are used, most commonly fig and mulberry tree bark. The process begins by boiling the bark mixture for 3-4 hours in salted water. Afterwards, the softened bark is rinsed and placed on a large stone tool called a Metlatl. The Metlatl is used to smash, intertwine and extend the fibers to the desired thickness and dimension. The final step is leaving the flattened fiber sheets in the sun to dry.