Local craftsmen

On our tour we made the obligatory shopping stop at a local coop where artists carve obsidian (volacanic rocks that has a very sharp edge when polished).  They also work silver.  We saw some of the craftsmen at work and learned some of the properties of the Agave plant (alcohol, burn salve, fiber for weaving, and paper like/plastic like sheets that could be used for writing.)

Agave plant (also known as the Century plant)

If you peel off a layer of the leaves, you get a waxy/papery substance that can be used to write on. (see below)

If you look closely, you can see a black needle like shape sticking into the leaf with a stringy substance attached.  The needle is the very end of the leaf and the thread is attached and can be pulled out attached to the needle part if you cut the needle from the leaf.  It can be used for weaving, etc.

Uncut obsidian stone from the nearby volcanos

Local artisan cutting obsidian

Final product.  Half is polished, half is not.  Symbol of life and death.

Some of the obsidian is inlaid with stones: turquoise, mother of pearl, varnite, and several others I can't remember.

Local weaving

Silver craftsman, etching silver.

There were also local vendors hanging around the pyramid site trying to sell similar products.  There was one item that they had that we did not see at the coop...jaguar calls!  Its a kind of carve whistle, that when blow correctly makes a loud snarling sound like a jungle cat!  Quite startling.  I was ready to hunt and kill the vendors by the end of the afternoon because they kept scaring me after I walked by.