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History Of Use

Several types of slings are used for different purposes in the Andes. Men and boys traditionally use slings for hurling stones in warfare, hunting and/or herding (waraqa in Quechua; honda in Spanish), a practice that has roots deep in the Pre-Columbian past. Males often wore their sling like a headband, as depicted in ancient ceramics from the Early Nasca Period (0–300).

Description

An unfinished sling. The solid braid is composed of 16 dark strands of dark (8) and light (8) handspun camelid yarn. The threads are paired and cross the crown to the opposite quadrant in a directional order that produces diamonds, a pattern that is called “llama nawi” (llama eyes) in some communities. The cradle is not started on this sample.

Narrative

Purchased by the donor in 1983 in Huancayo, from the maker, who demonstrated the braiding technique.

Specific Techniques

Sling handles are usually made as solid braids, a technique that is done by holding the braid in one’s fist and crossing threads from the four quadrants across the crown of the braid. Variations in colour, slant, and sequence in the crossing threads produce a variety of diamond or oblique patterns. Slings have a flat ovoid section near the middle, which serves to cradle the stone that will be hurled. The camelid yarns were produced by a man spinning them on a horizontally held stick and then by doubling the yarns to ply them together in the opposite direction.