Cleveland Museum of Art

Tunic

Date

c. 1400–1540

Medium

tapestry; cotton and camelid fiber

Culture

Peru, Inca, 15th-16th century

Department

Textiles

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Finely woven interlocked tapestry garments were a privilege of the nobility within the Inca Empire. Such garments were made throughout the vast Inca territory by women of noble families, by professional weavers, and by the Aclla (Chosen Women). These specialists lived in cloistered communities and served the state by brewing beer and weaving fine cloth. The products of their labor were redistributed by the Inca state as prized gifts to loyal vassals and allies. The standardized decorative scheme of this tunic, known as the Inca Key, is one of the most common Inca tunic patterns.

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