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Return To Hammocks Article Archive   Search the Article Archives Stylize Your Summer With Authentic Mexican Hammocks and Mayan Hammocks By Keith Raymond Cultural anthropologists estimate the hammock arrived in the Yucatán from the Caribbean more than two centuries before the Spanish conquest. As the Mayan cultural grew in dominance, the hammock became synonymous with the Mayan civilization. One could say that the Mayan hammock is what helped their civilization thrive. The hammock provided the Mayans with security and protection as they slept. The Mayan hammock protected the sleeper from snakes and other ground crawling dwellers as well as raising the sleeper above water, dirt and other unsanitary conditions. An elevated sleeping area also exposed the sleeper to cooling breezes that are crucial for staying comfortable in the humid rainforests of Central America and Southern Mexico region of the Yucatan. Woven from the fibrous bark of the hamack tree, which grows throughout Central America, the Mayan hammocks of today are found throughout the region and Southern Mexico. In Mexico, hammocks are made in villages surrounding the capital city of the Yucatán, Merida, and are sold throughout the world as well as locally. Merida is the center for the Mexican hammock trade and a city well known for having a hammock shop on every corner. The Mayan Mexican hammocks are very much a family business. Using two needles and a loom, it can take several weeks to make a decent sized Mayan hammock. They are made in huts in small villages all over the Yucatan peninsula predominantly by women, which contribute to their economic independence and self sufficiency. The finished Mayan hammocks are gathered by wholesalers before they make it to market and your favorite spot. Mayan Mexican Hammocks are made with cotton or nylon string, and are hand woven in small indigenous communities. The most comfortable Mayan hammocks are made of a cotton weave which makes them very flexible yet incredibly supportive. Most cotton Mayan hammocks do not use spreader bar allowing the hammock to cradle or contour to your body for even greater comfort. This feature has also made them especially practical as a natural infant cradle to gently rock their children to sleep. Mexican Mayan hammocks are great for backpackers, rock-climbers and campers. They are extremely light weight, but have the ability to hold large amounts of weight. Mayan hammocks can be used outdoors on a stand or easily strung up between two trees. The can also be strung up indoors as well, by inserting hooks in wall studs or ceiling beams. They are great for all climates and are especially convenient for small apartments and dorm rooms for extra seating or even an extra place to sleep. They can also be used to store goods like sleeping bags and packs while traveling or camping. The general rule is to get the largest hammock you can because the larger your hammock is, the more comfortable you will feel when using it. Mayan hammocks are woven with an open style, with no spreader bar, which allows the hammock to expand and contract freely. This means that larger size hammocks will provide more strands in the same amount of space when stretched out to your body's length. For example, a tall person will have to stretch a single hammock all the way out like a net, to lie in it. On the other hand, a king size Mayan hammock will open effortlessly and provide extra webbing even for a tall or large person. This means the weave will remain tight so the Mexican hammock looks and feels like a solid piece of cloth, yet gently rapping the extra webbing around your body, providing a superior level of comfort. About the Author: Keith Raymond is an avid traveler and spends time every year in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Through his website http://www.stylemexican.com you can learn more about how Mexican Hammocks are made, how the indigenous community benefits from the hammock trade, and how to choose Mayan Hammocks Car Hammock

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