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Tunic Fragment

7th–9th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 363
Wari tunics are among the most elaborate textiles of ancient America. The colorful designs are grid-based, with vertical rows of squares frequently separated with monochrome bands. Compositions are highly geometric and often illegible at first glance. Figures are distorted, compressed, expanded, and rotated until they reach the limits of abstraction. However, the woven figures ultimately refer to humans and animals known in the Wari iconographic corpus, such as staff-bearers, frontal and profile human heads, felines, and raptorial birds. This fragment shows four profile staff-bearing figures. Light brown figures with split eyes have a human aspect and the fangs of beings endowed with supernatural power. Green figures have the spots, muzzles, and claws of felines. All figures have wings, belts ending with stylized flowers, and appear as if they were running or kneeling.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Tunic Fragment
  • Date: 7th–9th century
  • Geography: Peru
  • Culture: Wari
  • Medium: Camelid hair, cotton
  • Dimensions: H. 12 7/8 x W. 21in. (32.7 x 53.3cm)
  • Classification: Textiles-Woven
  • Credit Line: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979
  • Object Number: 1979.206.394
  • Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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Tunic with Confronting Catfish, Camelid hair, tapestry-weave, Nasca-Wari
Tunic with Confronting Catfish
Nasca-Wari
800–850 CE
Four-Cornered Hat, Camelid hair, cotton, Wari
Four-Cornered Hat
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7th–9th century
Tapestry Tunic, Camelid wool, Wari
Tapestry Tunic
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7th–9th century
Feathered Panel, Feathers, cotton, camelid hair, Wari
Feathered Panel
Wari
600–900 CE

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