A man's tunic or poncho-style garment. The tunic is rectangular, and made up of four pieces of cloth that are sewn together at the sides of the garment as well as at the centre front and centre back. The fabric has vertical dark and light brown stripes. Holes are placed in the top sides for arms, and a small V is cut in the neck at front and back.

Gift of Adelaide Goan

Long, light brown, rectangular blouse with slit arm holes and neck line. Centre of blouse and sides have orange and yellow veritcal stripes. Two horizontal bands of orange and white hourglass shaped embroidery decorate the blouse at the hips and the chest. Light brown and orange strings hang from the sides and the chest. Bottom of blouse has light brown tassles.

Long black tunic with long magenta tassles that hang from a metal clip at the neck. Left side folds over the chest and tunic is fastened shut on right side by five silver bells and looped fabric. From the hip down, the tunic is open at the side. Clip at neck also comes apart to open the tunic. Neck and edge of tunic with bells has pink trim with blue stitching. Cuffs of sleeves have light blue bands and pink trim.

Gift of Ernest Erickson

Gift of the Ernest Erickson Foundation, Inc.

Gift of George D. Pratt

George C. Brackett Fund

Size: adult. Probable wearer: male. Horizontal cotton warp. Camelid fiber weft. Tapestry weave with interlocking juncture. The design consists of two variants, one section with profile faces and frets, the other with an animal-headed wingless figure carrying 2 staffs.

The Inca considered textiles more valuable than precious metals or gems. Textiles were symbols of power; clothing styles and designs identified a wearer’s social status. Rulers wore the finest tapestry-weave garments, called cumbi, such as the tunic displayed here. The unusual vicuña fringe on this tunic may have been added later.

In order to guarantee a supply of fine textiles, the Inca expanded herding and textile production into a state policy, setting up weaving workshops and collecting labor taxes in the form of woven garments.