Tablet of the Slaves

This handmade bark painting is a variation of the Mayan Tablet of Slaves. The relief depicts the retirement celebration of King Pacal's military chief. He is shown with his parents, who must have been of royal blood as they are presenting him with important emblems of social status.

Papel Amate, or painted bark paper, is an art form with clear pre-Hispanic origins. The handmade paper was originally considered a specialty of the village shaman and used only for special rituals. Decades later, the Otomi of Puebla began using bark paper as a canvas for painting. Typically, artisans will craft the paper from fig or mulberry tree bark, then sell or trade the homemade paper to other indigenous groups for decoration.

The technique of making traditional bark paper has a 200 year-old history in southern Mexico. Today, the rustic homemade paper is still made in small villages along the Sierra de Puebla using a variety of different tree barks. The process begins by boiling the tree bark mixture for 3-4 hours in salted water. Afterwards, the softened bark is rinsed and placed on a sturdy (typically stone) working surface. A large stone tool called a Metlatl is then used to smash, intertwine and extend the fibers to the desired thickness and measurements. The final step is leaving the flattened fiber sheets in the sun to thoroughly dry.

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