Chancay Textile Fragment Framed

Pre-Columbian Era, Chancay Culture, c. 1000-1470 AD, Peru

An outstanding and elegantly framed Chancay textile fragment, showcasing the exceptional weaving artistry of this ancient Peruvian civilization. This finely woven piece, crafted from cotton or llama wool, features a delicate striped pattern in earthy brownish-red and cream hues, adorned with a traditional stylized bird motif—a hallmark of Chancay textile design.

The Chancay people were renowned for their mastery of textile production, which served not only as a form of artistic expression but also as a symbol of status, gender, wealth, and spirituality. Their artisans specialized in intricate gauze work and geometric compositions, often incorporating animals such as birds, fish, monkeys, and dogs, as well as human figures and abstract patterns. Their use of natural dyes produced a rich spectrum of colors, including yellows, browns, scarlets, blues, and greens, bringing life to their woven masterpieces.

Chancay textiles played a pivotal role in religious and funerary practices. In accordance with their elaborate burial traditions, the deceased were carefully wrapped in multiple layers of cloth, often featuring ritualistic symbols and intricate designs, and interred with ceremonial offerings to ensure a safe passage into the afterlife.

This exceptional framed textile is not only a rare artifact of pre-Columbian textile artistry but also an elegant display piece—perfect for collectors, historians, and connoisseurs of ancient Andean cultures.

Excellent condition. Age-related wear. Fragment of larger piece. Loose threads, holes, fraying and losses to fibers. Mounted in modern metal and glass frame. Size approx. 18,2cm x 17,6cm (excluding the frame).

Former collection of the archaeologist Ferdinand Anton, Germany, combined between 1950 and 1965. Ferdinand Anton was born in 1929 in Munich, Germany. He made a living by writing richly illustrated books about the art objects and religious rituals of Pre-Columbian cultures: the Aztecs, the Maya, and Andean peoples of South America. He was an explorer who flew to South America and Mexico, and hiked to remote shrines where few Westerners had set foot. He wrote more than forty books.