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When we think of ancient South America, we may think primarily
of the Incas. However, this empire, known to its subjects as Tawantisuyu,
existed for only 150 years before the arrival of the Spanish. Many
other cultures flourished in South America before the Incas. While
each culture was unique, there were some traits shared by all the
cultures of the Andean region.
An important shared tradition was the appreciation and significance
of textiles. Textiles were used not only for clothing but to announce
political status, social nexus, ideological affiliation, and cultural
identity. Textiles, the single most important commodity of the ancient
Andes, were used for payment. A special class of weavers was responsible
for some of the most complex and elaborate textiles ever made. Many
of these textiles are in collections around the world, where their
artistry is a source of fascination and a subject of research.
While study of these textiles has focused on form and structure,
one of their outstanding features is their brilliant, vibrant colors.
Great importance was attached to the dyeing of thread and the making
of dyestuffs. Until recently, however, little has been done to understand
these processes fully—an understanding important for proper conservation,
restoration, and description of these textiles.
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Photo: Ran Boytner |
Over the past six years, the UCLA Institute of Archaeology and
the GCI have collaborated on research to resolve problems in Andean
dyestuff identification. The research has two aims: to better understand
the cultural meaning of textiles and the relationship between people
and their environment through the identification of dyestuffs; and
to develop easy-to-use methods to identify ancient Andean dyes,
increasing the conservation knowledge necessary for the appropriate
display and treatment of the textiles.
In the 60 years before the current research began, fewer than 300
ancient Andean dyed cloth samples had been analyzed. Since the UCLA-GCI
work started in 1993, the team has analyzed an additional 600 dye
samples. Team members have examined and evaluated a number of analytical
techniques and recommended specific techniques to use with threads
dyed with different colors. The research has also identified two
types of red dyes previously unknown in Andean textiles.
To date, team members have presented seven papers at international
conferences and written five articles for peer-reviewed journals.
The research (which has also been presented to numerous scholars
in the field) is an example of a fruitful collaboration between
archaeology and conservation science that can advance knowledge
of the achievements of cultures of the ancient New World.
For more information about the textile research, please contact
the Getty Conservation Institute Museum Research Laboratory.
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