Browse Items · Threads of Time

Faja (Belt) with Robot and Animal Motifs

This faja, Spanish for belt, represents the extreme intertwining of tradition and change found in contemporary Andean weaving. It is woven with neon-bright polyester thread, yet in a doublecloth technique common during the pre-Hispanic period.…

Ch’uspa (Bag) with Coins

Before the European invasions in the 16th century, indigenous Americans did not use money. Even after Spanish colonization, coinage remained a somewhat foreign concept imposed by the new overlords. Metal had long functioned as a high-prestige medium…

Kapote (Man’s Poncho)

This 20th-century man’s kapote, or poncho, stands in stark contrast to the 19th-century boy’s version across the gallery. One hundred years has made a remarkable difference. They are both ponchos, however, and as such reflect the dramatic…

Incuña (Sacred Shamanic Cloth)

Incuñas or sacred cloths, like the example at left, may resemble a woman’s mantle, but are made and used differently. Indigenous people in Perú and Bolivia fill them with special items and lay them on the ground during important ceremonies, such as…

Lliklla (Woman’s Mantle)

With the Spanish invasion in the 16th century and the establishment of their colonial empire, an array of fabrics from around the world began to be introduced into the Andes and elsewhere in the indigenous Americas. Chinese fabrics came to the…

Boy’s Mourning Poncho

Early 19th century Bolivian garments, such as the boy’s poncho at right, contain muted colors created entirely with natural dyes, just as they had been throughout the pre-Hispanic period. The thread itself is also identical to that in used ancient…

Lliklla (Woman’s Mantle) with Guitar and Olive Branch Motifs

Among the various detailed patterns in this woman’s shoulder mantle are three sideways guitar motifs (in the patterned stripe above the shawl’s center seam). Introduced by the Spanish, guitars are now also associated with Latin American music. The…

19th Century-Revival Iscayo (Woman’s Mantle)

Indigo dye and the vivid colors of blue-to-green that it produces have been privileged through much of the Andean textile tradition. Many ancient Andean pieces attest to the long-term mastery of natural indigo dyeing (see examples of indigo in…

Chumpi Kurti (Belt) with Birds

Belts of many different kinds were used throughout the Andes well before the Inka and continue to be an accessory for indigenous men and women today. Being narrower than other garments, belts are one of the first items that Andean girls learn to…

Chumpi (Belt) with Horse and Llama Motifs
Chumpi (Belt) with Horse and Bird Motifs