Minneapolis Institute of Art

Ponchita

Bolivia

Date

19th century

Medium

Alpaca, warp faced plain weave

Department

Arts of the Americas

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

For many Aymara Indians living in the Andean Mountains of South America, the primary beauty of a cloth was the thread from which it was made. Quality of the fiber, consistent diameter and the angle of the twist all play an important role in the final aesthetic. Here the weaver has used a different angle of twist for the white threads which adds a subtle nuance favored by the culture. The short length of this poncho indicates that it would have been worn by a man at a New Year's celebration or other festival. Bolivia, Americas

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