A horizontal loom used by indigenous peoples in Mexico and Central America for weaving textiles, typically operated by hand while seated.
From Nahuatl origin, the word refers to traditional Mesoamerican weaving equipment. The term entered English through anthropological documentation of indigenous textile practices in the 16th-17th centuries.
The chinanta represents thousands of years of unbroken weaving technology—some designs woven on these looms today are nearly identical to those depicted in pre-Columbian art, making them a living connection to ancient civilizations.
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