9/3/2008

The latest exhibit at the Museum of the Red River explores the ancient roots of the very medium the launched the Industrial Revolution — textiles.



“Precolumbian Textiles of the Andes” features beautifully crafted cloth work from the mountain region of Peru, Bolivia and northern Chile, an art form known to have been in practice at least as early as 2500 B.C. In these early works, native varieties of cotton and other plant fibers were twined, looped and loom-woven.



“These pieces represent some of the most intricate and beautiful textiles produced in the region during prehistoric times,” Assistant Curator and Keeper of Collections Daniel Vick said. “The Museum is very proud of the works displayed in this exhibit.”



By 1500 B.C., animal fibers — particularly those from American camelids such as llamas, alpacas and vicuna — were in general use, Vick said. Within 500 years of that, virtually every known weaving technique was in use in the region, as well as a wide variety of naturally occurring dying agents, he explained.



Most of the works were created by women, who typically filled the role of weavers in indigenous societies. They used simple backstrap looms to create most of the pieces featured in this collection.



Though most innovation and production were centered in the Andean highlands, most prehistoric textiles were found in the desert region running along the Pacific coast. The consistently dry weather patterns allow relatively delicate fabrics to be better preserved than the wet-dry conditions of the highlands, Vick said.



The works in this exhibit also represent an invaluable economic resource for those who produced these works.



“In a cash-free economy, crafts often embody wealth, especially if everyone understands the relative values of the materials used and the time spent in creating the work,” Vick said. “In the Andes, textiles represent such wealth.”



A talented weaver could bring economic success for a family, and so the most desired brides were those with a talent in weaving, Vick said.



“This exhibit is a chance for people to not only see some amazing works, but learn about some of the social structures of the societies that created them,” Vick said.