RARE EXCEPTIONAL ANTIQUE RITUAL CLOTH 1890s Taquile Island Titikaka Perú TM12982

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RARE EXCEPTIONAL ANTIQUE RITUAL CLOTH 1890s Taquile Island Titikaka Perú TM12982:
$695.00

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 RARE AND BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC RITUAL TEXTILE
FROM TAQUILE ISLAND, SACRED LAKE TITIKAKA, PERÚ

Inventory Number: TM12982

Origin: Taquile Island, elevation about 12,950 feet, western half of Sacred Lake Titikaka, Puno Region, Perú, South America.

Background and Description:

This offer includes an outstanding original indigenous Native American hand-woven jatun inkhuña ritual cloth of historic age. This is an exceedingly beautiful warp-faced textile woven entirely of fine camelid wool including alpaca and llama. This is a very large, lightweight ceremonial cloth woven in two identical pieces, each with four-side selvage. The pieces are joined with a common seam, secured with light green yarn. There are six narrow bands in fine pebble-weave with very small white designs on a red background, typical of the island. The termination work in the design bands consist of fine, checkerboard patterns indicative of masterful weaving. The field is woven of natural camelid wool including mixed alpaca and llama. There are about 52 warps per inch and 17 wefts per inch. The red and green bands are testimonials to prehistoric weaving traditions common to extinct Pukina and Uruqilla speakers. The long fringe ribbon around the periphery consists mostly of natural-dyed, straight-fiber alpaca wool in extremely fine, home-spun, single-ply yarns. This yarn probably originated in Juli, Perú which is located about 55 kilometers south, south-east of Taquile Island [around a 15 to 20-hour trip, one-way, by boat]. Textile workshops in Juli (originally Llulli), initiated by Jesuit priests in the Colonial Period, produced this fine yarn on spinning wheels and distributed it throughout much of the Bolivian Altiplano and regions adjacent to Sacred Lake Titikaka. It is found almost exclusively on esteemed ceremonial textiles and those belonging to Indian leaders.

The large size, fine materials and extremely skillful artisanship suggest that this textile served the community and not an individual, such as smaller, less-ornate inkhuña that are sometimes carried by village leaders. There is a very large, raised, flat altar stone (rumi misa) located on the plaza-side of Taquile Island where communal reunions are held. As a Bolivian emissary supporting indigenous rights in the year 2000, this writer participated in a communal ceremony at that rumi misa where a large, modern, somewhat similar jatun inkhuña was centered on the stone, serving as a sacred cloth for placing amulets, coca leaves and other items, which were blessed by all participants with prayers and anointment of cane alcohol. We do not doubt that this cloth served a similar purpose. Taquile Island textiles of antique or even vintage age are rare; this example, around 120 years old, is extremely rare. TM12982 is a gorgeous work of tribal textile art. It is unlikely that we will encounter another one like it.

Approximate Age: Turn-of-the-19th century, circa 1895-1900. Please refer to the ANDES AMAZON \"DATING\" TERMS.

Materials: All of the woven yarn (warp and weft) is traditional drop-spindle, hand-spun, two-ply camelid wool: Z-spun, S-plied. The brown and white yarns are natural. The colored yarns are dyed, some using natural dye-stuffs. The single-ply fringe yarns are all dyed-alpaca – most of those yarns are dyed with natural substances, including the blue, which is probably indigo.

Approximate Size: 44 inches by 39 inches (including 2-inch fringe).

Condition: EXCELLENT, used condition.

The inkhuña is in beautifully preserved condition with only a couple of visible flaws. There is a tiny, 3/16-inch worn spot in the brown field producing a difficult-to-detect hole. There is a missing section of fringe less-than-two-inches wide and a couple of other insignificant spots where single strands of fringe were broken. The former section had light damage to the woven ribbon but was nicely repaired long ago. The textile is clean with no stains or dye-run [our camera picked up some darkened sections near the center of the textile, however, these are barely noticeable with the textile in hand]. The green dyes have muted with age. The light green center seam is original and intact. Please refer to the photos and the ANDES AMAZON TEXTILE \"CONDITION\" TERMS.

ANDESAMAZON SHIPPING

Most 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:

$35.00 SHIPPING TO: ASIA, AUSTRALIA, INDIA and NEW ZEALAND

ALL ANDESAMAZON SHIPPING INCLUDES TRACKING NUMBERS FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE 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. Most 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 18 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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