Fragment Possibly 1476 - 1532

This textile fragment was made by an Inca artist, and while it's hard to date precisely, it gives us a vivid insight into ancient Andean culture. The piece is woven, likely from alpaca or llama wool. Notice the grid of colorful crosses set against a brown ground. These aren’t just decorative; textiles in the Inca empire carried social and political significance. The quality of the weave, the fineness of the thread, the complexity of the pattern – these were all indicators of status. The labor involved in creating such a piece would have been considerable, from raising the animals to spinning the yarn and setting up the loom. The brown dye came from plants native to the region, and the other bright colors are also likely from natural sources. When you consider the amount of skilled work embedded in this seemingly simple fragment, it challenges any idea of craft as being somehow separate from ‘high art’. Materials, making, and context are all key to unlocking the full meaning of this artwork.