Andean Headcloths: Textile Museum of Canada

Late Intermediate Period Chancay Head Cloth, Peruvian Central Coast

Since textiles from the Pre-Columbian Andean region were heavily used in funerary rites, the images embroidered on the cloths and fabrics were symbolic of Ancient Peruvian cosmology. Feline, serpent, and aviary figures featured prominently in ancient Peruvian textile artifacts, related to myths and deity-figures of ancient Peru.

The jaguar was one image frequently seen in the symbolic iconography found in Andean tapestries and textiles, along with snakes and birds. One of the most subtle and intricate Andean woven textile objects in the Textile Museum of Canada is a woman's head cloth featuring the repeated image of a pelican.

The head cloth is made of delicate gauze, woven painstakingly to form the interlocking forms of a standing pelican and a pelican head. The head cloth is an excellent example of the intricacy an incredible preservation of ancient Peruvian textiles. This particular head cloth dates back to as early as 1200 CE.

The Textile Museum of Canada is the only museum in Canada of its kind, with unprecedented resources, research, and experience in the traditions of textiles. With textile exhibitions featuring materials from all over the world, the Textile Museum of Canada truly is an incredible facility. The Textile Museum of Canada houses over 12,000 pieces from countries across the globe.