Textile

Item number Sf852 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

Public

Item Records

This page shows all the information we have about this item. Both the institution that physically holds this item, and RRN members have contributed the knowledge on this page. You’re looking at the item record provided by the holding institution. If you scroll further down the page, you’ll see the information from RRN members, and can share your own knowledge too.

The RRN processes the information it receives from each institution to make it more readable and easier to search. If you’re doing in-depth research on this item, be sure to take a look at the Data Source tab to see the information exactly as it was provided by the institution.

These records are easy to share because each has a unique web address. You can copy and paste the location from your browser’s address bar into an email, word document, or chat message to share this item with others.

Data
Data Source

This information was automatically generated from data provided by MOA: University of British Columbia. It has been standardized to aid in finding and grouping information within the RRN. Accuracy and meaning should be verified from the Data Source tab.

Description

Rectangular textile fragment with brown painted interlocking birds, hooks and triangles arranged in diagonal rows on an off-white plain weave cotton. One weft selvedge present and 3 cut edges. Z-spun, 2 plied s yarns.

History Of Use

This thick, coarse cloth may be part of a funerary shroud (Sawyer, fig. 62). The yarn spin and plain weave are standard for central coast (Rowe). The design shows some Chimu influence (p.c., A. Sawyer) and so may date to the latter part of the Late Intermediate Period when the north coast Chimu spread to the central coast.

Iconographic Meaning

The hooks and diagonal rows of triangles probably derive from serpents. The bird and serpent combination is the most frequent design on textiles and appears to have a special relationship to fabrics.