Paracas textile art is considered one of the finest and most sophisticated in the world. The design, the quality of the fibers and the pigments, the variety of colors and techniques used are extraordinary.
The Paracas Culture (700 B.C. – 200 A.C.) was a pre-Inca civilization that was developed on the southern coast of Peru, the Paracas people are world famous for their skill in making the finest and most beautiful textiles in all of pre-Columbian America. It is worth mentioning that the development of Paracas is divided into two phases: Caverns and Necropolis.
Textile Legacy
Textiles are one of the most outstanding products of the Paracas Culture. The tombs found in Cerro Colorado (Paracas Cavernas stage) constitute the main source from which the samples of Paracas textile art come. But it is in the Paracas Necropolis phase that the embroidery reaches its perfection, the polychromy of its textiles and its rich iconography leave a great legacy in the textile history of Peru. The beauty and complexity of Paracas textiles have been one of the causes of the fascination for this culture throughout the world. These same characteristics make a Paracas textile practically indescribable, its low value compared to pieces of gold or silver has favored them, since it has been possible to find large intact pieces that were despised by grave robbers.
Monumental Mantles
The most elaborate and sumptuous Paracas mantles are those that were used to wrap the mummies of the great personalities of the time. The mantles measure an average of eight feet long by a little more than three feet wide, and their manufacture is still a mystery, as hand looms cannot be that wide.
Raw materials and techniques
Paracas fabrics, for their two stages, are made with camelid wool (vicuña and alpaca) and cotton. In terms of their techniques, they differ little from one stage to another. In Paracas Cavernas, single-element techniques such as nets, needle weaving, twisting and braiding were used, as well as other more complex ones, such as brocade, embroidery, simple and painted fabrics and double fabrics, among others.
For Paracas Necropolis, lace and three-dimensional needle weaving should be added. Because of their expertise in spinning, dyeing and weaving, these specimens are considered to be among the best in the world. Based on seven colors, up to 190 shades have been achieved. They were dyed with natural dyes that, contrary to what was expected, maintained their color for more than two thousand years.
In the embroidery they used a point that imitates crochet meshes, sometimes it is dotted with gold or silver threads, sequins, human hair and bat or vizcacha hair; in some cases they added feathers. These embroideries are small and are repeated with different combinations, and represent mythological beings and, very possibly, geometric motifs. It is precisely these mythological figures that make us see the high complexity of the Paracas worldview, since it not only includes human beings and animals, but also supernatural beings.
The elite of the Paracas culture used textiles abundantly. They had many articles of clothing, apart from cloaks: short ponchos, colored turbans, loin cloths or waras, shirts or unkus and skirts, all these garments made with artistic beauty and the predominance of the symbolism of their images.
Let’s see some very interesting videos about the ancient heritage of Paracas textiles
Ancient Peruvian Textiles Demonstrate a World Filled With Opposition, Balance at SLAM
Peru Heritage: Museum sees history through textiles