Belt Possibly 1476 - 1532

This woven belt, crafted by the Inca people, displays a sophisticated arrangement of geometric symbols, each resonating with deep cultural significance. The stepped fret motif, repeated across the fabric, suggests a visual echo of mountainous landscapes, so vital to the Inca civilization. We can see this same motif appear in ancient Greek art, yet here it embodies a different cultural memory, one connected to the Incan world. Notice also how the rhomboid patterns evoke ideas of duality, the cosmic order and the integration of opposite yet complementary forces. Such symbols are not static; they evolve, accumulating layers of meaning across epochs. In psychoanalytic terms, the patterns in the belt act as a type of collective dream. The symbols work on the viewers subconscious level to invoke sensations of connectivity and understanding of the world. These symbols persist, adapting and finding new expression.