The Merrin Gallery: Peruvian Textiles

A Chancay minimalist textile mask acquired from the Merrin Gallery

A Chancay abstract minimalist textile mummy mask was acquired from the Manhattan-based Merrin Gallery in 1987. This particular mask is in excellent condition, with a variety of fabrics and materials, including actual braided human hair. The piece was acquired and later sold by Merrin Gallery owners Ed and Samuel Merrin.

Of all the different types of Chancay textile objects, Chancay dolls are perhaps the most recognizable. In Chancay times, the dolls were used to place on graves, and for this reason have had a high level of preservation, as funeral areas are historically less likely to be disturbed by the elements or subsequent generations than other areas. Because the Peruvian coast is extremely dry and low in humidity, the Chancay textiles have been preserved from deterioration by natural elements. Thanks to this dry, arid atmosphere, much can be gleaned about Chancay civilization from the textiles and dolls.

Historians are fairly certain that Chancay dolls were primarily used to furnish grave sites. What is not certain is whether they served as offerings to the dead or to the gods, or if they represented possessions of the deceased. They may even have served as figurines that would keep the deceased company, not unlike the Egyptian Ushabti.

The Chancay and the Chimu engaged in several enduring conflicts during their time as battling neighbors of Peru's Central and North coasts, respectively. Their conflict, though violent, created much contact and mutual cultural borrowing. It is for this reason that Chimu and Chancay textiles share many common qualities. The Chimu and Chancay kingdoms were both conquered through the Inca Empire expansion in the 13th century AD.

The Merrin Gallery: The Miracle of Ancient Peru

Huari tapestry tunic, 500-700 CE, Peru

In 1988, the Merrin Gallery hosted an entire exhibition on Peruvian textiles called “The Miracle of Ancient Peru.” Organized by Jack Lenor Larsen, the exhibition celebrated the “humbling” exquisiteness of the ancient fabrics and cloths. A Huari tunic displayed at the Merrin Gallery, dated as early as 500-700 CE features camelid wool with abstract images, and is an excellent example of pre-Columbian textiles from the Andean region.

The Huari culture is best remembered for their terraced field technology and road systems, which was later incorporated into the Incan road system.