Textile Item Number: Sf849 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
An irregular cut piece of natural brown cotton with red and brown deer arranged alternately in a rectangular grid. The grid is defined by alternating red and brown lines in warp and weft directions. The deer is shown in profile, with tail, two antlers and a speckled body. Two original edges remain: a warp selvedge with heading cords and a weft selvedge that appears to be hemmed with ancient thread. Z-spun single in warp; s-spun singles in weft; z-spun, singles in weft; z-spun, two ply alpaca yarns.
History Of Use
The paired, one-ply warps of this fragment are the basis for identifying it as Chimu Style (Rowe). As well, the antlered deer is a frequent theme in north coast styles. The original cloth may have been a garment as it is decorated with some camelid (alpaca ?) yarns. However, it was probably recycled as the irregularly hemmed weft selvage indicates considerably use prior to the ancient mend.
Iconographic Meaning
The antlered deer appears regularly in the preceding Moche Style. On painted and modelled ceramic vessels, it appears in hunting scenes and associated with the prisoner theme, with a rope around its neck. It appears the deer may have been ritually hunted on the north coast.
Item History
What
- Name
- Textile
- Identification Number
- Sf849
- Type of Item
- textile
- Material
- cotton fibre and alpaca wool fibre ?
- Manufacturing Technique
- spun, dyed, woven and plied
- Overall
- height 36.0 cm, width 28.5 cm
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Peru
When
- Creation Date
- between 900 and 1476
- Collection Date
- between 1949 and 1966
- Ownership Date
- before May 4, 1981
- Acquisition Date
- on May 4, 1981
Other
- Item Classes
- textiles
- Condition
- fair
- Current Location
- Case 89
- Accession Number
- 0711/0351