Mantle
Unknown Artist
7th–9th century
Medium
Cotton, camelid hair
Dimensions
W. 70 x H. 70 in. (177.8 x 177.8 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Woven
Culture
Wari
Department
Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979
Accession Number
1979.206.462
Art Historical Context
This magnificent *Mantle* from theari culture (7th9th century) transports us to the heart of ancient Peru's Andean highlands, where textiles were more than fabric—they were masterpieces of power and prestige. Woven from cotton and luxurious camelid hair (likely from alpacas or vicuñas), this square cloak measures an impressive 70 x 70 inches, large enough to drape over the shoulders of an elite figure. The Wari, a pre-Inca civilization that flourished in what is now Peru, mastered weaving on backstrap looms, creating densely patterned textiles that rivaled any in the ancient world. These mantl...