Belt Item Number: 3486/112 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
A belt (chumpi) with a crinkled appearance, which is a result of the highly twisted warps and the warp floats in the structure.
Belts of different types are used by men, women, and children, and some have special names. Most belts are called chumpi (Quechua) or cinterone (Spanish). Some belts are associated with pregnant women and their babies, where they are used to fasten the swaddling cloths around the infant. Belts for children are usually smaller in size. In some areas, very wide belts are worn with a stiff underbelt, which acts as a back support. Belts in Andean villages are usually made on a continuous warp and the last few inches are finished by braiding. A wide variety of techniques are used to pattern the belts. The imagery woven on belts is usually drawn from a set of geometric and figurative icons that are combined in ways that are distinctive of a particular community.
This belt was made in Chinchero by a Bolivian woman who married and settled in the area. According to Ed Franquemont, a researcher who spent many years studying Chinchero weaving, the Bolivian woman made these belts in Chinchero for a few years but had limited success in selling them. The donor purchased the belt at the Sunday market in 1978.