Chancay. Headcloth. 1000–1476. Peru. Cotton, plain gauze weave; embroidered in knotted couching With its delicacy of thread and complex construction, this extraordinary head cloth exemplifies Chancay gauze weaving, often considered the finest among all of the ancient Peruvian textile traditions. The repeated off-set rows of fish motifs—each outlined with softly spun cotton stitching—strongly evoke a school of fish caught within a fisherman’s net. Coastal cultures such as the Chancay embraced marine life in many forms, especially the bounty it provided as a source of food.

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Size: 2957px × 3000px
Photo credit: © WBC ART / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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