Miniature Tunic
Unknown Artist
12th–13th century
Medium
Cotton, feathers
Dimensions
H. 5 1/2 x W. 6 3/8 in. (14 x 16.2 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Featherwork
Culture
Ica
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
1979.206.668
Art Historical Context
This exquisite **Miniature Tunic** the Ica culture of Peru's south coast, dating to the 12th–13th century, showcases the mastery of pre-Columbian featherwork. Crafted from cotton fabric adorned with vibrant feathers, it measures just 5½ x 6⅜ inches (14 x16.2 cm), it served as a votive offering, doll garment, or ceremonial model rather wearable attire. The Ica people, flourishing along the arid coastal valleys before Inca conquest, were renowned for their textile innovations, blending weaving with natural materials to create luminous, symbolic objects. The technique of featherwork—likely invol...