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Tunic

Arts of the Americas

The design on this tunic is referred to as the “Inca key checkerboard” pattern, and it is one of five standardized tunic styles produced by specialized Inca weavers. In order to guarantee a supply of fine textiles, the Inca incorporated camelid herding and textile production into a state policy, setting up weaving workshops and collecting labor taxes (mit’a) in the form of woven garments and other requisite products.

The detailed embroidery on each side of this tunic and the zigzag across the hem were probably added after the garment was woven, to elevate the tunic, and the person wearing it, to a higher status.

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El diseño presente en esta túnica se conoce como “tablero de ajedrez con motivo de llave inca,” y es uno de los cinco estilos de túnicas estandarizados, producido por tejedores incas especializados. Para garantizar un suministro de textiles de alta calidad, los incas convirtieron el pastoreo de camélidos en política de estado, establecieron talleres y dispusieron impuestos sobre el trabajo (mit’a), bajo la forma de prendas de vestir tejidas y otros productos requeridos.

El minucioso bordado a cada lado de esta túnica y el zigzag a través del dobladillo fueron probablemente añadidos luego de haber tejido la prenda, para elevar la túnica y la persona que la lleva, a un estatus más elevado.
CULTURE Inca
MEDIUM Textile. Camelid fiber
DATES 1400–1532
DIMENSIONS 33 7/8 x 29 1/8 in. (86 x 74 cm)  (show scale)
COLLECTIONS Arts of the Americas
ACCESSION NUMBER 86.224.133
CREDIT LINE Gift of the Ernest Erickson Foundation, Inc.
MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view
CAPTION Inca. Tunic, 1400–1532. Textile. Camelid fiber, 33 7/8 x 29 1/8 in. (86 x 74 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the Ernest Erickson Foundation, Inc., 86.224.133. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: , 86.224.133_PS9.jpg)
IMAGE overall, 86.224.133_PS9.jpg., 2018
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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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Inca. <em>Tunic</em>, 1400–1532. Textile. Camelid fiber, 33 7/8 x 29 1/8 in. (86 x 74 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the Ernest Erickson Foundation, Inc., 86.224.133. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: , 86.224.133_PS9.jpg)