Textiles

Modern peruvian weavers are heirs to a long-running pre-hispanic tradition that was developed across the length and breadth of Peru. Outstanding work includes the Paracas funeral shrouds and Inca and Ayacucho Wari weavings. The oldest textiles ever found were uncovered at the pre-colombian temple of Huaca Prieta in the Chicama Valley and are believed to date back 4000 years. Preferred materials-which are still used today-include brown and white cotton; vicuna, alpaca and llama wool. Other materials occasionally include human hair and bat fibers and more commonly, gold and silver thread.

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