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

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Woven Tassel or Appliqué for a Shirt
Human Figure with “Feather" Crown
Pacatnamu or Lambayeque culture
AD 1000-1375
Cotton, camelid wool; slit tapestry weave
7½" x 5"
Literature
Donnan 1994, fig. 11.
An elaborate tassel or woven accessory, which was probably
applied to a prestigious Lambayeque or Chimú garment,
depicts a stylized figure in a rayed, crescent-shaped crown.
The tufted ends of the individual elements suggest a style of
headdress created with long feathers, such as those obtained
from the waterfowl or other local birds that appear frequently
in the region’s imagery. In a spirit of self-referentiality, the
figure itself holds a multistrand, tufted ornament.
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