| This Paracas
mantle from Peru features 49 figures of ritually costumed priests,
each clutching an animal by his side. Both priests and animals display
human and animal traits, illustrating the religious connections
between the social and natural orders. Mantles of this complexity
belonged to the ruling elite and were worn only on important religious
and festive occasions. Some were intended as burial clothes to be
worn in the afterlife, representing the deceased’s status and
office in the land of the ancestor spirits. |
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Paracas
culture,
"Embroidered Mantle"
(detail) |
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| The people of the Paracas peninsula on
Peru’s south coast are known for producing the beautiful and
artistic textiles that influenced ensuing cultures through the time
of the Inca in
the 16th century. The dry climate of the Peruvian coast has preserved
a great number of these objects. Before designers and weavers could
begin working on textiles like this, other professionals were required.
Animal-husbandry specialists bred animals for their fine wool. Dyers
working with a limited number of plants and insects created distinctive,
long-lasting colors. Highly skilled spinners produced thread that
remains unequalled in its consistency. Throughout Spanish colonial
times and even today, Peruvian weaving remains one of the finest
traditions in the world. |
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