Shawl

Item number Sf921 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

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Description

Shawl composed of rectangular red striped cloth composed of two rectangles of cloth sewn together. The shawl has six patterned bands featuring geometric (six part circle, crosses, and diamonds) and bird motifs alternating with narrow bands with a diamond and 'x' motif, all on red with bands of blue, green red, and pink. The colours of the motifs and background are reversed on the opposite face.

History Of Use

Warp-faced fabrics with three or four selvedges are woven by women but the fabrics, the techniques, structures and some of the motifs have pre-Conquest antecedents. This type of textile conveys the most information about an individual's ethnicity, sex, age, status, and particular history. This type of red shawl is used for some special occasions, such as the Fiesta of Octava de Santiago, the 8th day of Saint James, which falls on August 1. It is worn around the shoulders with the stripes horizontal.

Cultural Context

special occasion;women

Iconographic Meaning

The range of motifs refers to local geography and landmarks, ecology, fecundity as well as luck. The six part circle refers to the division of land into six sections on Taquile and the rotation of crops and fallow periods.

Specific Techniques

The handspun wool yarns are z-spun and s-ply with a hard twist. The commercial synthetic yarns have been re-twisted, adding more s twist to the ply. Cloth is assembled from separate loom pieces by a figure 8 stitch. Weave structures are the following: 1-plain colour areas; warp faced plain weave. 2-figurative designs; complementary-warp weave with 3 span floats aligned in alternate pairs with an irregular (abbabaab) warping order (3/1 horizontal colour changes and diagonals of 2-span floats. 3-stripe with squares; float weave derived from turned 2/1 horizontal herringbone with floats forming squares.

Narrative

Bought in the textile co-operative, Asociacion Artesanal "Manco Capac," Taquile. Maker was not interviewed.

Item History

Made by Justina Quispe Flores (Maker) in Taquile, Puno, Peru during 1983
Collected by Mary Frame during 1983
Owned by Mary Frame before October 27, 1983
Received from Mary Frame (Seller) and Museum of Anthropology Shop Volunteers (Funding source) on October 27, 1983