Panel Possibly 1000 - 1476

This woven panel was created by an artist from the Chancay culture of ancient Peru. The Chancay people thrived between 1000 and 1450 AD, in a desert area just north of modern-day Lima. Textiles were central to Chancay life, integral to social, religious, and political practices. This panel, with its carefully composed layout, is rendered in muted browns and creams. We see a striking central figure, which appears to be a mythical being, flanked by birds, and geometric shapes. Chancay textiles often depicted powerful figures. The imagery of such figures possibly served to mediate between the earthly and spiritual realms. These textiles were not merely decorative, they were enmeshed in the construction of identity, bearing witness to the stories, beliefs, and social structures of the Chancay people. We feel the enduring resonance of a culture that wove its worldview into every thread.