Producer unknown to us
Head scarf ”tzute”
Americas, Guatemala, Zacualpa
c. 1960/70
Cotton, wool, rolled out, paper-bound
Hans Jörk Wietfeldt (entrepreneur) acquired the headscarf during his stay in Latin America from 1959–1967
Donation to the museum by Hartmut Asseburg-Wietfeldt (physician) in 2014
MAm 8624
This headscarf (tzute) was worn during ceremonies in Guatemala by people perceived as male. Since ceremonial cloths are usually square, this one was probably made by cutting such a cloth diagonally. It is likely that several pieces were made in this way to sell to tourists, but it is also possible that a badly soiled or damaged part of the cloth was removed or that the ritual significance of the cloth was diminished.
The cloth is made of two pieces of red cotton with fine strands of yellow and yellow/green thread. Slightly below the edges of the triangle's legs is a strip with a pattern that is formed by the warp threads of the cloth and, in one case, by launched weft threads. In addition, there are several W-shaped embroidered motifs on the cloth. Furthermore, a wide pattern stripe ran across the center of the originally square fabric.
The entrepreneur Hans Jörk Wietfeldt acquired the headscarf while living in Latin America from 1958 to 2010. The time of acquisition can be narrowed down to the time between 1959 and 1967. In 2014, the physician Hartmut Asseburg-Wietfeldt donated the scarf to the museum.
Stefanie Bach