Textile Item Number: Sf834 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Square of light brown cotton textile with a blue brocade pattern in a partial rectangle. The brocade pattern is a cross design made of four tiny squares, repeated inside a diamond shaped lattice. One warp and one weft selvedge are present; the other two edges are cut.

History Of Use

Appears to be one corner of a corner-ornamented cloth. Complete cloths of this type often have central, deteriorated areas that are consistent with wrapping organic material, perhaps grave offerings of food. The corner-ornamented cloth is a standard type and occurs from the Middle Horizon (Period ?) to the Late Horizon (Period ?). The technical features are consistent with central coast fabrics (Rowe), but similar cloths come from Chincha as well (O'Neale).