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History Of Use

This is probably a side border from a triangular head cloth. The angled end and the fringe placement are consistent with this usage. Sheer, triangular head cloths with applied borders were found at Pachacamac (Van Stan) and Ancon (Reiss and Stubel). Both the imagery and the structures relate to the Wari-Tiahuanoco Style but only loosely, suggesting it is a regional style from the coast (P.C., Bill Conklin).

Description

A narrow four selvedge tapestry with one oblique end. Against a light red background, a feline-like creature with a split eye is repeated in profile seven times. The creature has bared teeth and one extended hand with three fingers. The hind quarters are abbreviated into a spiral. The body is edged with ray elements. Several shades of yellow and red combine variously with accents of white, blue, brown and brown-black outlining each figure. Nested triangles fill the space bordered by the oblique end. One weft selvedge has a self-made fringe, the other has remnants of sewing thread. One warp selvedge has an applied fringe and other oblique end is tightly overcast. Z-spun, two ply s cotton warps and camelid (alpaca ?) wefts.

Iconographic Meaning

The feline-like figure has the vertical split eye of the central deity on the Gateway of the Sun at Tiahuanaco. The ray motifs which outline the body probably include a reduced wing element (p.c., Bill Conklin, 1982) which relates to the flanking winged messengers on Tiahuanaco's Gateway of the Sun. The gesture of outstretched hand may indicate 'staff'.