Cleveland Museum of Art

Mantle Border Fragment with Oculate Being

Date

200 BCE–200 CE

Medium

camelid fiber, embroidery over foundation cloth

Culture

Peru, South Coast, Paracas (Cavernas) style (700 BCE–1 CE)

Department

Textiles

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This border fragment features a supernatural being apparently at the center of a religion that swept the south coast during the final stages of the Paracas culture. Known as the Oculate Being after its huge eyes, it is affiliated with fertility and violence—note the darts it holds in one hand. Both large and small versions of the being are embroidered on the fragment, which likely comes from the border of a large, rectangular, shawl-like garment known as a mantle.

The authoritative record is held by Cleveland Museum of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.