essay
Ecology and society in embroidered images from the Paracas Necropolis
paracas art & architecture : object and context in south coastal peru • Iowa City • Published In 1991 • Pages: 240-314
By: Peters, Ann H. (Ann Hudson).
Abstract
Peters examined the designs on the Paracas textiles in an attempt to find meanings in their design, and how the clues to the weavers’ relationships to the social and natural realms might reflect a common worldview. The focus is on the animal and plant elements in the imagery. Also, there is also an exploration of the differences in ceramics between the early and late subtraditions: Paracas Cavernas, aligned with the neighboring Ica Valley sequence; and Paracas Necrópolis, an extension of the northern Topará subtradition. The textiles, likewise represent the two different subtraditions. Discussion centers on Topará block color textiles from Necropolis burial bundles. Most images of flora and fauna are a melding of species, with few economically important species shown. In fact, the species depicted appear to represent competitors with humans in the hunt and/or collaborators in the control of pests around settlements, with the implication that both such creatures and the senior men buried with the most, and most elaborate, textiles, operated as mediators between culture and nature, simultaneously capable of moving between realms of land, sea and air.
- HRAF PubDate
- 2015
- Region
- South America
- Sub Region
- Central Andes
- Document Type
- essay
- Evaluation
- Creator Types
- Archaeologist
- Textile Analyst
- Document Rating
- 4: Excellent Secondary Data
- Analyst
- Sarah Berry; 2012
- Field Date
- no date
- Coverage Date
- 2300-1750 BP (300 BC-AD 250)
- Coverage Place
- southern Cañete province, Lima region, and Ica region, Peru
- Notes
- Ann H. Peters
- For bibliographical references see document 19: Paul (1991, References cited)
- LCCN
- 91016740
- LCSH
- Andes Region--Antiquities