Fragment Possibly 1000 - 1476

This textile fragment was woven by the Chancay people of Peru. It features a figure that could be interpreted as a stylized lizard or amphibian, its body adorned with geometric shapes. The image evokes the ancient motif of the animal deity. Across cultures and epochs, from the Egyptian crocodile god Sobek to the dragon figures of the East, such creatures symbolize primal power and transformation. Notice the angular, almost mechanical rendering of the figure, a departure from naturalistic depictions. This abstraction, however, does not diminish its force. It speaks instead to the symbol's capacity to adapt and persist, transmuted through the collective psyche. The figure becomes a vessel for anxieties and aspirations, a potent embodiment of the cyclical rhythms of life, death, and rebirth. The symbol's presence elicits a sense of timeless, subconscious recognition. The powerful iconography reveals a deep, enduring connection to the elemental forces of the natural world.