Artifacts - South America - stone, pottery, gold, textiles, beads

Pre-Columbian Textile

Braided 

Fan or Ornament

 Inca Culture - Peru

Classic Period

1100 to 1500 AD

SOLD

 dimensions:

approx. 8" long x 10" wide across fan x 1" thick

Braided camelid fiber feather plume fan or ornament.  Bouquet like formation with feather tips.  Tan natural fiber braided into a complex fan with hundreds of individually braided tassels. Tassels are tipped with orange feathers, most likely red macaw feathers or some other variety of parrot.  

Displayed in acrylic display case with tan fabric backing board.

Very good condition. No significant losses. Feathers are worn and slightly faded, but largely intact.  Condition of feathers can be clearly seen in image below.  

"Inca men wore wide gold and silver bracelets, and metal disks ( awarded for military bravery ) around their necks or on their heads. Miniature gold masks were also worn occasionally on the sandals, the shoulder, or at the knees. Soldiers wore necklaces made of human teeth taken by themselves or their ancestors from slain enemies. On ceremonial and festive occasions, they also donned feather crowns or collars."

"Featherwork produced for ceremonial use consisted of colorful, tropical feathers attached to leather, cloth, wood, or other material such as basketry to create adornments worn on the wrists, ankles, neck, waist, back, and head. Most typically found are headdresses, which may consist of small, modest crowns or large, towering bonnets. This category also includes feather-covered ritual belts, textiles, fans, staves or batons, basketry supports, and healer's amulets or photadi. "

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