Detail View: The AMICA Library: Poncho

The aesthetic preferences of the Wari culture favored abstraction and repetition of the design unit but also encouraged individual expression. This tunic is a fine example with its many subtle variations of abstract heads. Because it took so long to create a ceremonial tunic of this type, several weavers would often collaborate on a single piece. On close inspection, their individual styles can be seen in the weave structure as well as the interpretation of the repeating pattern unit.

Before the designers and weavers could begin their work, the skills of several other professionals were required. Animal husbandry specialists bred the animals, probably alpaca, that produced the fine camelid fiber. Applied chemists, working with a surprisingly limited number of plants and insects, created a variety of distinctive, long lasting colors. And finally, highly skilled spinners made a thread so consistent that even our technically advanced machinery cannot duplicate it.