George C. Brackett Fund

Gift of Ernest Erickson

Size: adult; probable wearer: male. Plain weave with horizontal camelid fiber warp, camelid fiber weft and camelid fiber embroidery. The mantle has a crimson ground with a pattern of large bird-like figures with outstretched wings repeated over the entire textile. Each corner has a black (purple) square border with fringe and one-faced crossed looping, and is embroidered using one-faced stem-stitch curvilinear embroidery to create a single bird figure. Green, yellow, blue, purple, white, khaki and pink colors are used for the figures on the borders and in the field (NK). There are four variants of the figures represented with a fifth figure type in one of the border sections. From Mary Frame's notes: The mantle does not appear to have had long borders; however, the fringe band may have originally extended across the long sides as it is cut at the relevant 4 interior points of the border squares. It is possible that the long borders were removed, or never attached. Two of the 34 bird figures in the field of the mantle are unfinished and lack hand-held ornaments, one of the figures holds only one ornament and the remaining 31 each hold two ornaments. The figure's body is bilaterally symmetrical; it is only the differing hand-held objects that make it asymmetrical. The rows and columns are arranged in translational symmetry and therefore rotational symmetry between the rows and columns. The lower right corner border contains an aberrant color block image. This figure type combines human attributes (arms and head) with the body of a bird (likely a falcon from the tail markings) shown in flight with its wings outstretched, representing the mythical transformation from human to bird. A snake-like protuberance extends from the mouth and two trophy head-like figures appear at either side of the snake. Two snakes adorn the bird's back. In the Museo Nacional de Antropologia y Arqueologia, Lima, Peru, bundle 310 contains a ponchito (41) with similar figures. This figure was called a "goat sucker" by Junius Bird, but Mary Frame refers to it as one stage in the mythical transformation from human to falcon. The mantle format, with corner blocks but no borders on the long sides, is not among the types diagrammed by Carrion-Cachet, 1931, figs. 14 and 15. It remains a possibility that its borders were carefully removed, or never attached. Two mantles in the Boston Museum of Fine Art (16.31 and 16.33) are in the same state.

This mantle would have been used by an adult male, as clothing or for ceremonial purposes, or for both. The dark blue plain weave field is composed of a horizontal camelid fiber warp and camelid fiber weft. The border is a horizontal cotton warp, with a cotton weft. Camelid fiber one-faced stem stitch curvilinear embroidery in dark blue, yellow, and green, brown, white, red, pink and yellow green is used to represent turning falcons that appear on the red border and the field. A band of one-faced cross looping extends around the outer edge of the border and the fringe (NK). There are 37 field figures and 31 border figures (one figure is missing in the border). From Mary Frame's notes: Although there is a 38cm area missing from one border, the color and symmetry pattern indicate only one figure is missing. There would have been 15 figures on each border originally, for a total of 69. There are two orientations in the borders and three in the field, including one aberrant orientation. Two figures in the bracket ends of the borders do not fit with the border alternation; two field figures between the brackets do not fit with the field alternation. The border with the missing section was probably slightly shorter than the field, just as the other border is. There are three variants of bird figures executed in dark blue, yellow and dark green. Two figures in the bracket ends of the borders do not fit with the border alternation; two field figures between the brackets do not fit with the field alteration. The eye, breast, wing and tail markings, which are rendered in precise details, are usual falcon attributes. The raptors are represented with backward bent necks, in a backward bent posture. From a wider study of the iconography, I suspect the back bent posture is associated with sacrifice and prey. A forward bent posture is usually associated with sacrificers and predators. Figures with falcon attributes are numerous among the embroideries and they usually appear to be at different stages in the transformation from mythical human to falcon. Conceivably, a falcon figure such as the one represented on this mantle might represent the end point in a transformation continuum. A small number of birds are shown with backward bent necks: BM 86.224.95 (ponchito) and TM 91.126 (border) show birds, possibly hawks or falcons, with necks bent so the head is entirely inverted. Other birds (MMS 33.149.102) and figures transforming toward becoming falcons (Sailor #10) also occur in a backward bent posture.

Size: adult. Probable wearer: male. Field: horizontal camelid fiber warp, camelid fiber weft, dark blue color. Border: horizontal cotton warp, cotton weft, red color. Camelid fiber embroidery. The cotton foundation fibers of the border are actively deteriorating. The plain weave field is constructed of two webs and the condition of the camelid foundation fibers in the center is slightly better than those of the border, but this area is also deteriorating. The mantle is wider than usual. (NK) Condition fair; complete but with losses. From Mary Frame's notes: This is a Paracas "double fish" mantle on which pairs of the same figure, probably a shark because of the gill lines behind the eyes, are tightly associated with a smaller version of the figure between them. The eyes are swiveled to show frontally, or from above. A possible mythological transformation from shark to human, or vice versa, is suggested because there are arms projecting from the bodies of the fish. Mary Frame attributes a reverse curve that is repeated on the crossed looping of the seam cover adjacent to the fringe as a probable double-headed serpent. The predatory nature of the shark and/or killer whale (sometimes referred to as "the master of fishes") is made very clear in images on other textiles that portray the predator biting off the leg of a fleeing human. Human counterparts of this imagery often carry knives and heads, seemingly equating predation and sacrifice. A matching poncho in the Brooklyn Museum collection (34.1583) displays the same iconography and similar colors. Other related textiles in the museum's collection are 34.1594 and 86.224.90.

Size: adult; probable wearer: male. Plain weave with horizontal camelid fiber warp, camelid fiber weft and camelid fiber embroidery. The imagery consists of embroidered condors on the dark blue field and along the borders. The birds are rendered in colors of green-blue, dark blue and orange. Portions of the borders have fringes at their outer edge. From Mary Frame's notes: The fleshy carbuncle above the beak and the long flight feathers are distinctive features of condors. Other dominant traits are the outspread flying-wings depicted as if seen from below; the condors are shown as if swiveled to the side with the beak in profile. The border figures are unusual in being oriented transversely; they alternate up and down rather than left and right. This orientation is almost exclusively used for condors or humans with condor attributes (Boston Museum of Fine Art 16.342 and matching ponchito); very rarely for falcons (MfV Berlin 63321); and almost never for other figures. In the field, horizontal rows alternate laterally by pairs of rows rather than single rows, uncommon but not unique. The background of the border, with the subtle chevron pattern created by changing the diagonal S- and Z-slant of the stitching, is unusual. Other examples of Paracas textiles with condor figures oriented transversely show an elaborately attired human figure with condor wings outspread; the figure likely representing a mythic transformation to condor. This mantle stands out for its impeccable workmanship and completeness. Comparative examples with condors in this orientation are patterned in only one-half of the field.

Alfred W. Jenkins Fund

Alfred W. Jenkins Fund

Henry L. Batterman Fund

Gift of George D. Pratt