Band Item Number: 3486/104 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Band (watana) with multicoloured over darned areas and round white and silver beads and tubular beads sewn to the surface. The band is sewn together into a circle and has three large tassels.
Bands are used in various ways as fasteners or adornments in the highlands of Peru and Bolivia. Watana is the name for narrow patterned bands that are used to adorn monteras (money bags), sombreros (hats), or chullu (caps), and to provide ties for closures on garments or straps on bags. Watana are also made for sale to tourists, as they are small items that can be quickly made with the left-over yarns from larger projects. This band was used on a man’s felted sombrero.
Mixed yarns are commercially dyed. Woven in a supplementary warp weave. The large tassels have wrapped stems, to finish off the yarns of the band.
Purchased by the donor in the Cuzco artesania market in 2013.