Shed Sticks (?)
1000-1476
Medium
Wood and fiber
Dimensions
18.2 × 4.6 cm (7 1/8 × 1 13/16 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
85615
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Art Institute Chicago's Textiles Department, *Shed Sticks (?)* is a modest yet vital artifact from between 1000 and 1476 CE. Crafted wood and fiber, this tool measures just 18.2 × 4.6 cm, small enough to fit in the palm of a hand. Its classification as a textile underscores its role in weaving traditions, where shed sticks were essential for lifting and separating warp threads on a loom, enabling intricate patterns in fabrics. Though the artist remains unknown, the object's survival speaks to the ingenuity of pre-modern textile workers, likely from the Americas given its materi...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...