Band

Item number Sf830 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

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Description

The band is thick, long and narrow with patterns of red, yellow, brown, white and green. The pattern shows the profile of an animalistic figure with a gaping mouth, repeated 49 times in varying colour combinations. The background colour changes between red and yellow after every four figures. One end has unraveled threads, the other end has the original warp loops. Z spun, 2 plied s yarns.

History Of Use

Narrow bands of this type are sometimes attached to pairs of tassels or to pairs of wider bands. The exact manner in which the bands and their attachments were used is not known. It is probable they were head adornments. The iconography has elements of a highland style from the Ayacucho Basin area mixed with Nasca elements of the Early Intermediate Period.

Iconographic Meaning

The anthropomorphic creature has a simplified head with drooping jaw which is characteristic of a trophy head in Late Nazca Style. The meaning of the trophy head is not clear although it is frequently associated with regenerative themes like sprouting beans. The figure appears to have the body of a quadruped and the tail of a bird.