Search

A concrete cantilevered building against blue sky and green landscaping

A large green wall with oil paintings in gold frames above a tiled floor

A museum interior space with paintings and concrete walls and stairs

A concrete-walled lobby with windows, a tiled floor, and a circular desk

The top of a concrete spiral staircase with a wooden railing

A tall tree is the focal point of a garden in between two concrete buildings

About arrow_back

Admission for everyone is always free! Check here for current hours and more.

A concrete cantilevered building against blue sky and green landscaping

Collections arrow_back

The Johnson Museum holds more than 40,000 works in its collection from around the world.

A large green wall with oil paintings in gold frames above a tiled floor

Exhibitions arrow_back

Check out what’s on view this season at the Museum and look back through our history.

A museum interior space with paintings and concrete walls and stairs

Events arrow_back

Free events for everyone, plus special programs for students, families, and more!

A concrete-walled lobby with windows, a tiled floor, and a circular desk

Learn arrow_back

The Johnson Museum actively contributes to the intellectual life of our campus and community.

The top of a concrete spiral staircase with a wooden railing

Support arrow_back

Help the Johnson Museum continue its legacy by making a gift today.

A tall tree is the focal point of a garden in between two concrete buildings

Chimu (Peru)

Textile Border Fragment

View All Works

Object Details

Culture

Chimu (Peru)
Late Intermediate Period

Date

AD 1000-1470

Medium

Camelid wool on paired cotton weft

Dimensions

5 3/4 x 10 1/4 inches (14.6 x 26 cm)

Credit Line

Dr. and Mrs. Milton Lurie Kramer Collection; Bequest of Helen Kroll Kramer

Object
Number

70.164

This Chimu warp-faced tapestry border fragment depicts a row of 5 birds woven in shades of gold and (…)

This Chimu warp-faced tapestry border fragment depicts a row of 5 birds woven in shades of gold and brown on a faded red panel bordered on both the top and bottom by a series of abstract step-fret motifs orignally done in black on gold. Much of the black thread has been lost, leaving the wefts exposed. The bottom of the panel is bordered in a slit-woven tapestry “fringe,” with each fringe edge having a selvedge or finished edge to prevent raveling. The top of this textile shows evidence of having been cut from a larger garment, probably a tunic; this piece would have originally been one section of the bottom border.The colors of this piece are now faded but were probably once the vivid red of cochineal dyes, which is derived from insects living on cactus plants, coupled with some of the vegetable-derived gold colors which are made from a variety of plants found on the Peruvian coast. Wearing red and gold colors during Inca times was restricted to high-status individuals, although we cannot be certain that such sumptuary laws extended back into the pre-Inca past. Bird motifs were common along the coast of Peru, and this textile is consistent with that decorative tradition. It is extremely similar to a textile from the Ernst Frank Collection now in the Anthropology Collections housed in McGraw Hall at Cornell.

Discover More

The Crowning Needlepoint 5

Judy Chicago, LoBiondo Family

Huipil, Blouse

San Martin Jilotepeque, Guatemala

Splotchy

Alexander Calder

Create an account

Please take a moment to fill your information to create your account.

Reset Password

Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive mail with link to set new password.

Save Artwork

Save the artwork in any of your exhibitions or create a new one.

You have not made any exhibitions.

Create New Exhibition

Create New Exhibition