Textile Item Number: Sf843 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Small square of light brown cotton weave fabric half-filled with brocade step-triangle. The exact negative image fills the background space. One warp selvedge with three heading wefts and one weft selvedge are present; two edges are cut. Z-spun, 2 plied s.

History Of Use

Appears to be a corner of a type of rectangular cloth that is decorated with step triangles in each corner. Complete cloths of this type often have central, deteriorated areas that are consistent with wrapping organic material. The corner ornamented cloth is a standard type and occurs from the Middle Horizon (Period ?) to the Late Horizon (Period ?). The yarn structure and the order of interlacing in the brocade are consistent with central coast fabrics of the Late Intermediate Period (Rowe) but similar cloths come from the Chincha area as well (O'Neale).