Shawl Item Number: 3486/141 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
A shoulder shawl (lliklla) for a woman that is composed of two 4-selvedge cloths that are sewn together on a long edge. Each panel has one wide and one medium patterned band; the dominant patterns are variations of diamonds and flowers. Plain weave bands in black separate the patterned bands on each loom width. The outer edges have a plain grey-blue band. The centre seam is made in a figure-8 stitch of changing colours.
A lliklla (Quechua) or manta (Spanish) is worn as a shawl that is fastened around the shoulders with a pin, but it can also be worn as a cloth for carrying things on the back. Women’s llikllas are smaller in this region than in many parts of the province of Cuzco.
Diamonds are often called cocha (lakes) and the flowers are often papa tika (potato flowers).
Patterned bands on panels are woven in a supplementary warp weave, a technique that the weavers call “ley”. Most of the pattern is woven in 2-colour supplementary weave (red and white), and the 3-colour supplementary weave is confined to narrow bands (blue/white; green/yellow).
Purchased by the donor in the Pisac market in 1982.