Fragment: Headband Item Number: 3263/73 a-b from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Two fragments of a tubular headband. Both have alternating bands of red and yellow yarn along their lengths. Left side of largest fragment (part a) curves downwards slightly and has a short brown yarn strand extending from it. Right side has three yarn strands extending from the fragment. Two are short, straight and brown. The third is long, spiraling and has alternating red and yellow tufts along it. Smallest fragment (part b) curves upwards slightly at both ends. Left side of part b has three straight strands of brown yarn extending from it. Right side has three strands of yarn extending from it. Two are straight and brown, one is spiraling and has red tufts along it.
Wari-related style. Complete examples of tubular headbands can have two to four alternating colours, and are long enough to go around the head six or more times.
Exterior pile element is warp-twined. Interior core made of several plied cords and the pile element is spiralled around the core.
Collected in Peru before the 1970s by Ina VanStan, a Professor of Textiles and Clothing at the Florida State College for Women (Florida State University) from the 1940s to c. 1966. VanStan later gifted her collection to the donor. A large amount of the donation was used for teaching at the University of Alberta while others were mainly small study fragments.