Art Institute of Chicago
Headcloth
ChancayLinkedCulture matchlcp-02d86ff18499
- Date
- 1000-1476
- Medium
- Cotton, plain gauze weave; embroidered in knotted couching
- Culture
- Peru
- Department
- Textiles
- Institution
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Object ID
- 102176
In the ancient Andes, weavers of different societies continually developed distinct techniques to manipulate their looms. Chancay weavers perfected gauze weaving—in which they crossed pairs of vertical warp threads to hold the horizontal wefts in place—in order to make sheer fabrics like this one. They used the natural colors of coastal Andean cotton—now called Pima cotton—spun into very fine threads. Chancay peoples seem to have worn such textiles on their heads, perhaps to shield them from blowing sands in the desert. The garment’s fish designs reflect this maritime locale.
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Provenance & credit
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- Credit line
- Gift of Mrs. Edward H. Merrin
- Provenance
- Vivian Merrin, New York, by Jan. 29, 1983 [letter from Vivian Merrin, Jan. 29, 1983; copy in curatorial object file; on loan to the Art Institute of Chicago from June 1, 1983, loan number 393.1983]; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1984.
Linked open data
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- Object type
- AAT300209261
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