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.

Alfred W. Jenkins Fund

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.

Size: adult; probable wearer: male. Plain weave, with the field consisting of a horizontal camelid fiber warp and camelid fiber weft. The borders are woven with a horizontal cotton warp, cotton weft, and camelid fiber embroidery; one corner is missing. The mantle has a dark green background with a 24 centimeter fringed border on each side and small embroidered squares all over. It is decorated with a formalized animal motif in blue, green and yellow. Mary Frame's notes: Multiple feline figures are nested within the outline of "linear figures." The ears, tail, and arrangement of limbs and head are consistent with feline representations. Filler figures are cats, humans(?) and snakes. Cats also repeat in the interior border and on the looped seam cover. The number of figures on the mantle field is relatively large in comparison to other "linear" checkerboard mantles. Three other textiles in the Brooklyn Museum collection have figures that relate to those on 34.1554. This example is the most feline-like; 34.1541a,b and 47.13.2 are predominantly feline with some human attributes, and 34.1546 is a predominantly human figure with a few feline traits.

Alfred W. Jenkins Fund

Size: adult. Probable wearer: male. Field: cotton warp, cotton weft, plain weave. Borders: cotton warp, cotton weft with camelid fiber embroidery. The border foundation is very weak. A dark blue field with dark brown warps in the borders. The embroidery uses red for the border background, and green, yellow, and dark blue colors. According to Mary Frame, variants of this motif most often occur on turbans (head cloths). Some have feline or human heads, rather than snake heads. (See Anne Paul, Nawpa Pacha 20, pp. 41-60). On the border, the embroidered images of interlocked snakes with slanted bodies in an S- or Z-twist direction are analogous to the structures of cords. Filler figures of coiled snakes surround the interlocked figures.

Size: adult; probable wearer: male. The plain weave field is made up of a horizontal camelid fiber warp and camelid fiber weft. The border is made of a horizontal camelid fiber warp, camelid fiber weft and embroidery. The mantle consists of a black field with a narrow median band. The wide border represents sixteen double bird figures facing outward with the same image repeated within. The colors employed are dark blue, reddish-purple, dark green, and golden yellow with the fringes made of the same colors.

This mantle would have been worn or used by an adult male. It is constructed of a plain weave dark blue horizontal camelid fiber warp and weft field and camelid fiber stem stitch, rectilinearly worked one-faced embroidery decorated red plain weave border. This textile has been reshaped in order to flatten it. Three corners have been slit and the fringe moved at one of them. In the lower left field, in order to cover the newly formed field's edge, the crossed looping was removed, the fringe freed, and restitched on the border edge (NK). From Mary Frame's notes: Color blocks in the field are based on the consistent coloration of two nested outlines of the serpentine body, and on the borders are based on the consistent coloration of three nested outlines. There is a symmetrical deviation on the border where in two cases the coloration of the nested outlines inside is reversed. The nested figures have snake bodies and human heads with cat filler figures; multiple figures are nested within the outline of "linear"' style figures. The total number of field figures equal 262 whole figures and 96 partial figures; the total number of textile figures is 268 whole figures and 108 partial figures. In the field, the colors line up as three monocolors on the Z diagonal. This mantle is exceptionally regular in its lay-out and color patterning. A singular deviation from the pattern occurs in the paired band on the right side of the field. One less figure is incorporated in each of the pair. The mantle also has more paired bands in the field than any other in the sample located so far. Two other mantles in the Brooklyn Museum collection have the same paired band format and the same figure (34.1552 and 32.106). A poncho (34.1582), two headbands (34.1597 and X2000.1032), and a mantle with a plain field (34.1551) also have the same figure. The main variations among this group are: the number of paired bands in the field, the number of colored outlines in border and field figures, the slant (S or Z) of the serpentine bodies, and the number and completeness of the color blocks. The border figures are Z-slanted and the field figures are S-slanted. The number, color and slant attributes of the repeating figures can also be applied to the structure of cords, which the interlocked figures resemble. See "The Visual Images of Fabric Structures in Ancient Peruvian Art" by Mary Frame (The Junius B. Bird Conference on Andean Textiles, April 7th and 8th, 1984, ed. Ann Pollard Rowe, pp. 47-80. Washington, D.C.: Textile Museum, 1886) for a discussion of imagery related to the structures of cloth and cords. Most "linear" embroideries of this type have a dark blue field with predominantly red embroidery. A smaller number have a different color scheme. Similar textiles may be found in the collection of the Museo Nacional de Antropologia y Arqueologia de Lima, and they are a headband from bundle (401); a skirt (421-49); a mantle (421-4) and a poncho (421-44); in the collection of the United Nations, New York; and in the Boston Museum of Art (1972.353).