Fragment Possibly 1000 - 1476

This woven fragment was crafted by the Chancay people of ancient Peru, using cotton. What stands out immediately is the textile's raw quality, emphasized by its fragmentary nature. The uneven edges and visible wear speak volumes about its history. This wasn't just an aesthetic object; it was likely a functional or ceremonial cloth that bore witness to daily life and ritual. The woven figures along the border show the human element. These motifs were painstakingly worked into the fabric, likely using simple backstrap looms. This manual process creates a direct connection between the maker and the object. It’s fascinating to consider the skill required, passed down through generations, to achieve this level of detail. The time involved reflects the value placed on textiles in Chancay culture, where they held social and symbolic importance beyond mere utility. Thinking about the cotton itself, locally sourced and processed, we see a whole economy of labor embedded in this fragment. It challenges our separation of art from craft, reminding us that every object has a rich story to tell about the people who made it, and the world they inhabited.