Two Tapestry-woven Panel Fragments
Unknown Artist
1000–1460s
Medium
camelid fiber and cotton, tapestry weave
Dimensions
88 × 51 cm · mounted: 99.1 × 63.5 cm
Classification
Textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Accession Number
1985.7
About this artwork
These two fragments, mounted side-by-side, come from the Chimú (chee-moo) Empire of Peru’s north coast. Each features horizontal rows containing four frontal figures. The rows alternate with wider registers, each with an H shape that represents a litter seen from above. A form of transport reserved for only the most esteemed members of society, the litter would have been carried by human porters via poles at each corner. Scattered around each are small creatures, including birds, a fish (located...