Over Dress Item Number: 3486/138 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

An over dress (aksu).

History Of Use

The aksu is an asymmetrical garment that is worn over top of a full dress made of bayeta. The lower panel generally has more coloured and patterned bands than the upper panel. The upper panel is worn folded over the bodice and pinned at one shoulder. The aksu wraps only partly around the woman’s body with the seam at the waist, over which a belt is worn. It displays the patterns and colours typical of her community, generally a dark ground with white, yellow and red in the pattern area and smaller amounts of other colours in the stripes.

Specific Techniques

The patterns in Macha are usually diamonds or zigzags, and they are woven in 2-colour complementary warp weave.

Narrative

Purchased by the donor in 1983 in Sucre, Bolivia from the shop of Elizabeth Rojas.