Carpets of sawdust at the festival of Semana Santa in Antigua

Antigua in Guatemala raises one of the largest Easter celebrations in North America. Approximately 200,000 people flock to this city every year to watch and participate in the colorful celebrations of Semana Santa, or Holy week, preceding Easter. Thousands of local and foreign tourists fill the streets to watch the colourful, noisy processions, performances of crucifixion and other ceremonies. Among them is the creation of colored carpets of sawdust, which involved a huge number of people.









The most amazing part of the celebration of Semana Santa in Antigua is a colorful carpets, or "alfombras" created in the streets. Sand or sawdust is used to create a flat area-the canvas. The carpets are decorated with different flowers and other plants, pine needles and even fruits. Sometimes the painted sawdust square prepared for many weeks, with careful pouring, sifting and placing the sawdust into stencils.





Rugs Express religious feelings of the people. Preparations begin for weeks, sometimes even months. Direct work on the carpet of the family begin for ten or twelve hours before the procession starts.

What is most interesting of the parade go right by these works of art. Each procession is created new carpet.









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