Shamans, Supernaturals & Animal Spirits: Mythic Figures From the Ancient Andes

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Fragment from a Tunic
Stylized Faces
Unidentified regional culture (Chachapoyas?)
AD 1000?
Cotton, camelid wool; tapestry weave,
selvedged on one side with tubular edging
4" x 11"
Working with a minimal number of abstract shapes, the weaver generated rows
of stylized human faces, whose eyes peep out underneath oversized skulls or
helmets. The elongated, oblong form of the heads suggests a type of cranial deformation
that was practiced by many Andean peoples.
The chain of trophy or votive heads is bidirectional. When reversed, the zigzag or
S-shaped motifs decorating the headdresses become mouths, lending individual
expressions to each motif.
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