BEST BEAUTIFUL ANTIQUE CEREMONIAL ARGENTINE INDIAN PONCHO Superb Quality TM11590

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BEST BEAUTIFUL ANTIQUE CEREMONIAL ARGENTINE INDIAN PONCHO Superb Quality TM11590:
$2499.00

OUR COMMITMENT

We believe the world can be a better place. We believe that humanity has a higher, aspiring destination. We know that through mutual respect conflicts will subside. We know that by understanding our differences we can help one another. We believe that our Mother Earth and our Universe can provide unlimited resources for every man, woman and child to live in peace, happiness and love. As stewards of the human race we have an intrinsic responsibility to do what we can to improve our world as much as possible.

The majority of human existence has been dominated by so-called “Native” groups, also known as tribal folk, original residents, indigenous people, aboriginals, First Nations, traditional ethnicities, autochthonous societies, autochthonal cultures, et. al. At some point, of course, our ancestors were the same… regardless of current culture, creed or color. Regrettably, in the past half a millennium, thousands of unique tribal groups have disappeared due to misunderstanding, impudence and ethnocentrism. Aspects of colonialism, capitalism, racism and politicization have directly and circuitously destroyed myriad native cultures, each a once-valuable resource to our planet. Of the nearly 7000 languages currently spoken on our planet, over 6000 are in immediate danger of becoming extinct. Nearly all, being ethnic indigenous. We believe the very few “Native” groups that remain on earth should be cherished and carefully supported. Unfortunately, we are on the brink of losing our connection with indigenous spirit, wisdom and traditional knowledge. For those whose customs have vanished, our window into their worlds is only available through literature, paintings, photographs, a few recordings and material culture, or the objects they created.

For more than a quarter-century those of us behind AKATAKSA/ANDESAMAZON have dedicated our professional interests in documenting “traditional” South American indigenous cultures, especially through their material culture. Our field studies have led us to some of the most remote people on the continent. We have witnessed Native Americans existing exactly as their ancestors did in prehistoric times… and others who have jumped from 18th-century existence to 21st-century reality in the blink of an eye. Our ethnographic investigations have resulted in preserving valuable data related to linguistics, cultural history, ethno-Environmental relationships, socio-cultural organization, cosmology, mythology, spirituality and of course, material culture. We have a detailed proposal for a magnificent cultural center-museum aimed at stimulating interest in past and present indigenous cultures. Our unique idea is not just to show beautiful objects on display. Ours is to share the entire background of a piece, not only from a scientific or scholarly point of view but also from a cultural and spiritual perspective as well. This holistic approach to understanding indigenous material culture shall include accompanying photographs, films, recorded testimonials, music, related specimens and even field notes. We want to inspire our visitors to continue their own investigations into realms of mysterious phenomena that we really know very little about.

Apart from receiving monies for researching indigenous material culture, our sales contribute toward expanding interest in past cultures and ways of life. Not only can ones´ personal Environment be enhanced with beautiful and interesting objects, but the benefits of knowing about different ideologies, unique ways of life and past or nearly-extinct traditions are utterly invaluable. We encourage every buyer to intimately study each piece and learn as much as possible about its origin, function, importance and spiritual history. We hope that whatever understanding, knowledge and insights are obtained from our objects will be shared with companions, friends and especially children. In this small way, we feel inspired in preserving something of native cultures and making the world a better place. Thanks for working with us.

A BEAUTIFUL ANTIQUE ANDEAN INDIAN CEREMONIAL PONCHO
FROM NORTHERN ARGENTINA

Inventory Number: TM11590

Origin: Salta and Jujuy provinces, Andean desert, northern República de Argentina near the Bolivian border, South America.

Background and Description:

This special poncho is a two-piece warp-faced textile in slightly rectangular form woven on a horizontal ground or table loom. Each of the two pieces has four-edge selvage. They are connected with a central seam having an unsewn section in the middle for inserting the head. The very tips of the corners were turned and sewn down, which is a common tradition in the Andes. The poncho was collected in Bolivia but was woven in the famous weaving region of Salta and Jujuy in extreme northern Argentina. Formerly these finely woven ponchos were favored among hacienda owners of Spanish descent. Most northern Argentinean ponchos were woven in specialty workshops on Spanish-style wooden peddle looms but this example was woven on a more primitive provisional loom by Quechua-speaking indigenous Americans.

This large example is in the style of a wayrur punchu, favored by Aymara-speaking leaders throughout the highland provinces of the Department of La Paz in Bolivia. Wayrur punchu are so-called for having the red and black colors of a special tree bean (closely resembling Abrus precatorious) that is considered to have magical and protective qualities throughout the Andes as well as much of the Amazon basin including Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Brazil. The piece was probably acquired by a wealthy Indian leader, possibly one who worked on a Spanish hacienda.

The field decoration consists of bands of fine black stripes on a dark red field. The bands are separated by distinct wide stripes in black and red. There are a total of 14 wide bands each enclosing 13 to 17 black on red stripes. Indigenous wayrur punchu from Bolivia normally have less than 10 stripes per band and one with 12 stripes is extremely rare. Additionally, there are narrow lateral bands outlined by wide red stripes that encompass much finer black stripes. This unique iconography presents a visual impression unlike any other known example. The periphery as well as the neck opening are finished with fine, attractive, black crochet work. The textile is very finely and expertly woven with 68 warps per inch and 14 wefts per inch. This is a colossal tribal textile having extreme elegance and beauty. It is in practically pristine condition and represents the finest and best wayruru poncho that we have encountered in over three decades of study.

Approximate Age: Early-20th century. Please refer to the ANDES AMAZON \"DATING\" TERMS.

Materials: The warp yarns include well-prepared, finely home-spun (spinning wheel), two-ply dyed sheep wool. The weft is red-dyed home-spun cotton.

Approximate Size: 66 inches by 60 inches.

Condition: EXCELLENT, lightly used, guarded condition.

The center seam is original and has a few loose threads. The crocheted edge may have an insignificant break or two. There are no holes, worn spots or noticeable stains. The colors are rich with minimal muting. The red is \"deep, strong, blood red.\" Please refer to the photos and the ANDES AMAZON TEXTILE \"CONDITION\" TERMS.

ANDESAMAZON SHIPPING

All of our items are shipped directly from South America. The advantage is that selling costs are kept to a minimum. The disadvantage is that items will not arrive quickly. Most items arrive in two to three weeks from their date of shipping; however, some items have taken up to six weeks to arrive (especially to Australia, India, Japan, New Zealand, greater Asia and the Middle East) due mostly to customs inspections and policies. Items to the United States of America have arrived in as few as ten days. Our offices are not in close proximity to international postal service. Most items are shipped within one to three working days of payment.

The cost for shipping this item is as follows:

ANDESAMAZON

ANDESAMAZON is an sister site to AKATAKSA, which began in February, 1999. With transactions involving some 3000 clients AKATAKSA is noted with ABOVE STANDARD performance and 100% POSITIVE response. All AKATAKSA items are shipped from within the United States. All ANDESAMAZON items are shipped directly from South America. Our intention is to reach a larger number of clients by keeping worldwide shipping costs to a minimum. Unfortunately, WE CANNOT OFFER RETURNS – either in merchandise or money. We promise to continue providing detailed and accurate information related to age, origin, condition and descriptions as we have for the past 15 years. WE ALSO PROMISE TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO ASSURE THAT YOU ARE SATISFIED WITH YOUR PURCHASES.

ANDES AMAZON \"DATING\" TERMS:

PREHISTORIC, PRE-COLUMBIAN, ANCIENT = Before around A.D. 1500.
18TH CENTURY = A.D. 1700 to 1799.
19th CENTURY = 1800 to 1899.
TURN OF THE 19TH CENTURY = 1890 to 1910.
EARLY-20TH CENTURY = 1900 to 1933.
MID-20TH CENTURY = 1934 to 1966.
LATE-20TH CENTURY = 1967 to 1999.
TURN OF THE 20TH CENTURY = 1995 to 2005.
EARLY-21ST CENTURY = 2000 to Present.
COLONIAL = A.D. 1532 to 1825.
ANTIQUE = Over 50 years old.
VINTAGE = Over 30 years old.
CONTEMPORARY = Made in the last 5 years.
CIRCA = \"Approximately/around/within a few years of.\"

ANDES AMAZON TEXTILE “CONDITION” TERMS:

Terms used to describe the physical condition of textiles can be subjective and vary greatly from one observer to another. What some others call “mint” condition, we call “good”; what others call “excellent” condition, we call “fair.” Following are explanations of the terms we use.

MINT = Like new. Unused -- as if recently removed from the loom. No wear or patina of any kind. These textiles may have “nubs” or even loose, uncut threads from the weaving process.
EXCELLENT = Usually only lightly used, often guarded or stored for many years. There may be extremely light wear, patina and sheen from use. There may also be nearly undetectable light staining or soiling from use. The colors may have muted ever so slightly due to age or exposure, often improving the beauty of a textile.
VERY GOOD = Usually lightly or only periodically used. The surface may be very lightly but evenly worn. There are no tears or distracting holes. There may be minimal surface discoloration. Vintage textiles may have lightly darkened yarn from use and age (staining and soiling). Overall, the textile will be in outstanding condition and at a displayable distance will appear perfect.
GOOD = Usually moderately to well-used. There may be light to medium staining, isolated or throughout. Some parts of the textile may be worn or have very small holes, occasionally exposing hidden thread yarns. Edges may be lightly frayed. Surface discoloration due to age and exposure is common but often improving the appearance of a textile. There may be minor, light or isolated, dye “run.” Damage will not distract significantly from the textile when displayed.
FAIR = Either well-used or moderately abused. Extensive wear is common as is some “bleeding” or dye “run.” In most 20th century cases, the colors have considerably faded. Sections of fringe or tassels may be missing. Textiles may be in otherwise excellent condition but with a single isolated sector of damage, that greatly reduces its aesthetic appeal. Most vintage tribal textiles on the market are in FAIR TO GOOD condition.
POOR = Showing evidence of extreme usage and damage. These textiles do not display well and are primarily useful as study specimens or examples of sometimes very rare textiles.

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