- Title
- Mantle
- Culture
- Paracas
- Date Made
- 100 B.C.-A.D. 200
- Medium
- Camelid fiber plain weave, stem stitch and loop stitch embroidery
- Dimensions
- Textile: 59 × 101 in. (149.86 × 256.54 cm)
Frame: 69 3/4 × 110 7/8 × 3 3/4 in. (177.17 × 281.62 × 9.53 cm)
- Accession Number
- M.72.68.7
- Collecting Area
- Costume and Textiles
- Curatorial Notes
The Paracas culture flourished on the south coast of Peru from around 700 BCE to 200 CE. Paracas textiles constructed in block-color styles, like this one, typically dealt with elements in the physical environment: the plants, animals, and people of the region. The figures depicted here wear garments and adornments identical to many of those recovered from ancient burial sites, including necklaces, ear danglers, and tunics. Embroiderers working in this style focused on the description of tangible elements such as the diagnostic features of a specific animal, the regalia of rulers and officials, or the pose of a ritual performer like those repeated throughout this mantle.
Nicole LaBouff
2024
