Chancay Textile Weaving Comb

Pre-Columbian era, Chancay culture, 1000-1470AD, Peru.

Exceptional weaving comb is beautifully made from split reed, most likely Carrizo (Phragmites australis), with 30 barbed spikes fastened to two shafts. This rare textile weaving tool is bound with the light brown braided thread typical of Chancay textile manufacture. Sturdy rectangular handle reinforced with black resin (possibly bitumen), and embellished with dark brown seeds.

The Chancay were a pre-Columbian archaeological civilization which developed between the valleys of Fortaleza, Pativilca, Supe, Huaura, Chancay, Chillón, Rimac and Lurin, on the central coast of Peru from c. 1000AD-1470AD. The major artistic achievement for which the Chancay are know is their mastery of textiles. Textiles were an essential form of symbolism to convey meaning, status, gender, wealth, and spirituality. Chancay weavers specialized particularly in delicate gauze work. They used an array of colours including yellows, browns, scarlet, white, blues and greens. In type of fabric used include llama wool, cotton, chiffon and feathers. The typically geometric designs also included drawings of plants, animals such as fish, cats, birds, monkey and dogs, as well as human figures. Canvases or gauzes were used primarily for religious and magical purposes. They were made for covering the head of the dead in the form of headdresses. In keeping with their burial customs, members of the Chancay society wrapped the corpses of their dead in many layers of cloth and buried them deep in the ground along with various goods. 

Extremely well-preserved weawer comb with resin and original thread keeping it tightly bound together. Age-related wear. Minor chips and losses to some barbed spikes. Chip in black resin. Size approx. 

Provenance: From the estate of Paul Ragnar Wedendal Sr. & Paul Wedendal Jr. Collected in the 1940's to 1950's.

For a similar examples see:

Wooden Comb with Woolen Decoration, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Accession number: 1994.35.44 (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/316869)