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

The gregarious parrots and parakeets, which exhibit such eminently human traits as
sociability and talkativeness, are well represented in coastal textile and mural art.
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Band from a Shirt?
Blue-and-Yellow Macaws
North or Central Coast culture (probably Chimú)
AD 1000-1476
Cotton; tapestry weave
5" x 14½"
Certain species—notably several macaws—were exotic specimens traded from the
Amazonian forest and kept in captivity (thus supplying a ready source for their prized
feathers). Others, like the green mountain parakeets, reside in western Peru.
Highly esteemed for aesthetic purposes, the vivid parrot feathers were woven into
majestic garments and items of regalia. The shimmering rainbow hues surely evoked
solar radiance and sacred power.
The striking black-and-white bands and rings accentuating the eyes of the blue-andyellow
macaw are instantly recognizable in this somewhat clumsily rendered motif.
In fact, the macaw’s distinctive markings and coloration seem to have influenced the
overall composition, which is organized in an unusual lattice arrangement with white
rectangles on a black background. This extensive use of black is itself rare, and indicates
Chimú provenience.
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