Loom

About this object

History of use

Warp-faced fabrics with three or four selvedges are woven by women but the fabrics the techniques, structures and some of the motifs have pre-Conquest antecedents. This type of textile conveys the most information about an individual's ethnicity, sex, age, status and particular history. The warp can be tensioned by pinning the working end are used by both sexes. To the weaver's skirt and stretching the warp on her big toe or a stake in the ground.

Narrative

Made by Pelagia Zuipe Cruz for the Museum. Typical of narrow bands made in Taquile.

Cultural context

women's weaving

Iconographic meaning

The range of motifs refers to local geography and landmarks, ecology, fecundity as well as luck. The six part circle refers to the division of land into six sections on Taquile and the rotation of crops and fallow periods.

Specific techniques

Figurative designs; complementary-warp weave with 3-span floats aligned in alternate pairs with an irregular (abbabaab) warping order (3/1 horizontal colour changes and diagonals of 2-span floats).

Physical description

Loom, consisting of a narrow warp-faced band partially woven and still attached to a pointed ground peg. Two sets of multi-loop needles and two single-loop heddles attached to unworked warps. Nine motifs of worked-in white threads on a red and green background. Motifs include a bird, a reverse curve, a cross, diamonds, and circles. Colours are inverted on the other fabric face. Small blue skein of weft attached.