ancient threads

from the Western Andes  of Peru, Las Munecas Antiquas or mummy dolls are modern dolls created from pre-Columbian textile fragments recovered from plundered cemeteries. Of course the robbing of gravesites is illegal but the modern dolls continue to be made. The uninformed tourist can find themselves in trouble with authorities if found in possession of antiquities.

she was in the window of a second-hand store. I dithered about buying her but decided that I would keep her safe and understand the history.

modern dolls generally have stitched or embroidered facial features whereas genuine antiquities have faces that were woven with tapestry techniques.

see her baby peeking out from behind?

she seems to be stuffed with plant leaves and her braids are wrapped over some kind of plant stem. All the yarns are handspun, mostly singles cotton. The face has a widely spaced woolen warp  stitched over fine cotton fabric and a 2 ply woolen weft woven into it with the features stitched over that. I would guess the woolen fibre is llama, rather course and hairy. All natural coloured fibre or natural dyes are used. Could the red be cochineal?? 

 

many of the dolls are mother and child, most have a woven headband and the majority wear an apron.

 

 

 

 

 

 

the back shows the net- like woven head covering which is also used to wrap the baby. The dark yarn, hair??  is hand spun 2 ply alpaca (I think) very soft and lustrous.

these textiles have survived because the Atacama Desert, where they are found, is the driest desert in the world.