(pronounced Ah-mah-tae) Derived from the Native American Nahuatl "AMATL", meaning paper. This paper made from tree bark has been produced by Mexico's indigenous peoples since at least the eleventh century. Used in religious ceremonies and for important manuscripts, Amate has always had deep cultural significance. After the Conquest, the Spaniards introduced European paper to Mexico and banned amate. In remote villages high in the Sierra Madre Oriental, the Otomí people kept the amate-making tradition alive. Meanwhile, the Nahua people of Central Mexico developed their own trademark craft: finely painted pottery detailing scenes of village life. The two traditions met when Nahua artists began painting their intricate designs on amate traded with the Otomí. Nahua villages in the state of Guerrero became centers for this art of bark painting, which today constitutes the major source of income for Native American Nahua and Otomí artisans alike. 100% Fair Trade. Includes Curator's Card.