Art Paper (Amatl)

Elaborated by using just the same techniques and materials as done by pre-Columbian people more than 1000 years ago, the paper made from the wild fig tree ficus, it was already used bye the mayans around IX century for art, scripture and religious ceremonies, being more inexpensive and versatile than animal leather.

During the aztec empire splendor epoch XIV, XV and XVI centuries, the amate (bark paper - in náhualt language, amatl is also synonymous of book), it was even one of the main trading products in ancient América.

Falling in a gradual disusing since the Spanish conquering, it's elaboration technique was jealously kept by very few indian communities, being in our days the Otomi community in the northern sierra of Puebla State, the only place where still subsists such an art, transmitted from parents to sons.

Because of its characteristics of texture, quality and manufacturing procedures, the amate is almost acid free, which makes it a paper of excellent composition and a very long lasting, that allows its use in many and very extensive purposes.