Maya Cross Necklace with Beaded Chain
This necklace features a Maya Cross on a hand-beaded chain. The necklace measures 24" in length that has an adjustable toggle closure.
This fair trade necklace was handcrafted with the collaboration of the Elder Center Bead Group and indigenous Maya-Itzá women in Guatemala. Made from a native vine from the tropical forest, the cross pattern is a natural feature of the inside of the plant. Called the Cruz Maya (Maya Cross), its use as a spiritual symbol dates back to the Maya civilization more than a thousand years ago. Proceeds from the sale of this product provide income to Maya-Itzá artisans of today and for the Elder Center Bead Group. The Elder Center Bead Group is a group of young women artisans in Santiago Atitlan who earn a fair wage for their work and help provide funding for the Elder Center, which provides a place of community, meals, and healthcare services for 65 elders in Guatemala. A portion of the proceeds also goes to a local community organization, Bio-Itzá, to help protect the rapidly disappearing tropical forest where the vine grows in Petén, Guatemala.
