Pre-Columbian, South Coast Peru, Proto-Nazca culture, ca. 500 to 300 BCE. A fine example of a colorful textile fringe composed of tightly woven camelid (alpaca or llama wool) fibers in hues of maroon, citrine, wheat, sky blue, cream, sage, crimson, espresso, and coffee. The textile depicts twenty-seven trophy heads (as opposed to munecas - "dolls" in Spanish) that are attached to a vibrant band panel beneath which are thirty-two lower bodies. Each trophy head exhibits thick locks of sweeping brown hair, zigzagging eyes and mouths indicative of death, and stylized lower bodies which are conjoined which those of their neighbors. Mounted on a museum-quality display fabric. Size (textile): 57" L x 6.875" W (144.8 cm x 17.5 cm); (display fabric): 75" L x 23.25" W (190.5 cm x 59.1 cm)

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-private Hans Juergen Westermann collection, Germany, collected in the 1950s to 1960s

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#150881

Minor fraying and loosening to some interior and peripheral threads, with fading and light staining to areas of original pigmentation, and minor creasing, otherwise intact and excellent. Nice traces of original pigment throughout.