Guatemalan Chachal Necklace
Date1900
PeriodRepublican Government
CultureGuatemala/Mayan
MediumMetal, glass, beads, and coins
Dimensions36.322 x 34.29 cm
Credit LineGift of Drs. John and Bessie Sawhill
Object number76.1.1043
On View
Not on viewLabel TextThis item is a traditional Guatemalan chacal. Chacal means necklace in Quiche, a Mayan language. Chacales were Mayan necklaces worn by Mayan women to show their status within their community, the more ordained the necklace the higher her status was. Originally chacales were made from sea shells, animal teeth, red coral, and greenstones. But after contact with the Europeans these necklaces would be made with different materials that the Europeans brought with them such as red beads and coins. These newly European additions became a new kind of status symbol to the Mayans and soon more chacales were made up of red beads and coins as the Spanish colonized Central America. This necklace was made around the early 20th century and showcases this fusion of Spanish and Mayan culture as it is made up of these red beads and Guatemalan coins.
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