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Tunic

Arts of the Americas

CULTURE Wari
MEDIUM Cotton, camelid fiber
  • Place Made: South Highlands, Peru
  • DATES 600–1000
    PERIOD Middle Horizon Period
    DIMENSIONS 39 x 41 5/16 in. (99.1 x 104.9 cm)  (show scale)
    COLLECTIONS Arts of the Americas
    ACCESSION NUMBER 86.224.144
    CREDIT LINE Gift of the Ernest Erickson Foundation, Inc.
    CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION Tapestry tunic (shirt) with neck and arm openings. Decoration consists of four patterned alternating with three plain vertical bands, of a deep rich red. The decorated bands are divided into white-bordered rectangles, triangles, or diamonds within which geometric, profile faces are paired with step motifs and frets. The faces have eyes that are vertically split, bi-colored, and surrounded by a contrasting band that turns into a long thin rectangle through the cheek. The mouths are formed by three U-shaped bands of color. A triangular contrasting color may be a nose. The chin form juts out. Color patterning and reversals are complex; generally, the faces are either pink against a blue ground or beige against brown, and the step motifs are a deep red against beige or gold against a blue to some purplish ground. The motifs at the outermost edges show some of the characteristic compression of Wari tunics. This effect is more pronounced in some areas than others. Condition: Loss of fibers especially in areas where white appears. Neck area worn. Scattered losses across the surface. Size: adult. Probable wearer: male. Horizontal cotton warp. Cotton, camelid fiber weft. Tapestry weave with interlocked discontinuous wefts (reversible). Unku. Reverse side out (NK) Design: profile face (no fangs) and fret, little compression (AR)
    MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view
    CAPTION Wari. Tunic, 600–1000. Cotton, camelid fiber, 39 x 41 5/16 in. (99.1 x 104.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the Ernest Erickson Foundation, Inc., 86.224.144. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: , 86.224.144_PS9.jpg)
    IMAGE overall, 86.224.144_PS9.jpg., 2018
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    RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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    Wari. <em>Tunic</em>, 600–1000. Cotton, camelid fiber, 39 x 41 5/16 in. (99.1 x 104.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the Ernest Erickson Foundation, Inc., 86.224.144. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: , 86.224.144_PS9.jpg)