Hat Possibly 600 - 900

This hat was made by the Wari people with camelid fibers and cotton. The Wari inhabited the highlands of Peru from about 500 to 1000 AD, long before the Inca Empire. The interlocking geometric figures have been carefully woven using a technique called tapestry. Tapestry weaving is not just about interlacing threads; it's a slow, deliberate process. With immense labor, the weaver built up the design, color by color. The fineness of the weave indicates that the materials used were extremely fine, almost like silk. This hat would have been made by highly skilled, probably specialized, artisans. The quality of the hat's construction suggests that the wearer had great social importance. When you look at this textile, remember that it is an example of ingenious, indigenous technology. It is all the more impressive for being made without the potter’s wheel, the metal chisel, or other tools we often associate with ancient civilizations.