Textile Item Number: Sf856 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Red tapestry square with brown feline ? in profile, with frontal head. A crescent shaped crest sprouts from the side of the head. The creature has ears, protruding yellow tongue and a long tail. The body has spots and back has a zigzag outline. The feet are large and square with zigzag claws. One warp selvedge with heading wefts and two weft selvedges are present. A-spun, 2 plied z (warps) and z-spun, 2 plied s (wefts). Remnants of sewing thread along both weft selvedges.
History Of Use
The animal with the crescent crest is a standard Chimu motif. It is repeated 12 times on a large hanging in King (fig. 35). The warp and weft spinning are consistent with north coast tapestry practices (Rowe).
Iconographic Meaning
The crescent headdress occurs in many Chimu representations of important or mythical personages (Rowe). The stacked triangles at the tail are a feature of the Chimu Style but the meaning is not apparent.
Item History
What
- Name
- Textile
- Identification Number
- Sf856
- Type of Item
- textile
- Material
- alpaca wool fibre ? and cotton fibre
- Manufacturing Technique
- spun, dyed, woven and plied
- Overall
- height 10.9 cm, width 9.6 cm
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Peru
When
- Creation Date
- between 900 and 1200
- Collection Date
- between 1949 and 1966
- Ownership Date
- before May 4, 1981
- Acquisition Date
- on May 4, 1981
Other
- Item Classes
- textiles
- Condition
- poor
- Accession Number
- 0711/0358