COLOR

Fig. 7. Schematic representations of stripings with color changes indicated by symbols. Units consisting of pairs of warps represented by pairs of triangles. Chevron marks center of bilateral groupings of colors.View larger image.

The four fragments symmetrically plaided with an identical arrangement of warp and weft stripes (16-1279; 16-1303) probably came from the same cloth despite the different numbers.

Edge stripes, the most numerous group, vary in width from three-sixteenths inch to one and three-eighths inch. They are simple in construction, eight of the thirteen being symmetrical both in arrangement and count of colored warps. The semblance of balance is marked, also, in those stripes which are not symmetrical.

The edge stripes with two exceptions (16-1260, a kerchief, and full breadth 16-1287) border only one of the selvages on the complete widths analyzed for this section. The opposite selvages have hanging threads, remnants of the stitchery which originally seamed two breadths together. The stripes decorated the outside edges of this seamed rectangle.

No specimen in the Chincha plain-weave group has stripes showing more than three colors, exclusive of the color of the ground material. The ground color is usually neutral and may originally have been white or brown cotton. The most frequently occurring color in the stripes is brown, followed by blue. Red and rose occur only twice.

In five specimens we found the warps used in pairs. In specimens 16-1224 (fig. 7,a) and 16-1280 (fig. 7,k) the colored warps are paired, the ground is set up with single warps; in 16-1240 (fig. 7,j), the stripe warps and certain sections of the ground warps are paired, the greater portion is set up with single warps. In several specimens the otherwise uniform setup of single colored warps is broken by a warp unit comprising a pair (fig. 7,f), and in two specimens (cf.fig. 7,d) the series of single warps is broken by two pairs of warps in one of the stripes. These units may have been deliberately planned by the weaver, since they are maintained for the entire length of the preserved stripe.

All of the Chincha striped cloths examined for this study were woven either in the over-one-under-one interlacing or its variation, twin warps crossed by single weft, a technique sometimes designated as the semibasket weave. What textural differences there are between the colored stripes and the ground material are the results of combining the single-warp plain weave with its twin-warp variation. The following tabulation shows the occurrences of these two techniques among the thirteen striped pieces infigure 7:

Fifty-odd yarns, samplings from the striped and plain cloths of the Chincha lots, were matched against the printed samples in Maerz and Paul'sDictionary of Color.[8]We found yarns corresponding to thirty-two samples representing five of the eight color groups. We found no dyed yarns in these cloths for colors in the yellow-to-green, the blue-to-red, and the purple-to-red groups. Only four yarns out of three hundred and fifty matched in a previous study,[9]corresponded to colors in the purple-to-red group and these four matched very dark samples on plate 56. The available evidence indicates either that the ancients had not developed dyestuffs to produce such hues as our fuchsias, magentas, and heliotropes or that they did not favor these colors.

Over a dozen yarns matched samples on plates 14 and 15 of the orange-to-yellow groups; as many more matched the browns on plate 37. Some of the yarns in this series are darker than any of the printed samples on plate 39. The third largest series, approximately twenty, match eight samples in the blue-green-to-blue group. The fewest number represent the green-to-blue-green group. Yarns in four cloths are similar to poplar and bottle greens.

Stripes are in one, two, or three colors (fig. 8). Most of the one-color stripes (approximately 10) are blue (37F3, 37I5), one is an orange-red (5K10), and one clay color (14F8). For the two-color stripes we were able to distinguish blue (37F3), golden browns (approximating 15A12), and orange reds (approximating 5K10). In only one of the six two-color examples, however, were the two colors sufficiently clear to match the printed samples. Specimen 16-1251 combines brown (15A12) and blue (38C3) stripes.

The three-color stripes in the 16- lot were similarly difficult to match with the samples in the Dictionary. Yarns from the four specimens matched samples as follows:

16-1268: yellow (10C7) and two browns (14L10, 15A12)16-1277: two yellows (11K8 and one other darker than any in the group) and blue (36F6)16-1283: yellow (9J5), blue (35D4), and one other color too dull to match any printed sample in the blue group16-1287: yellows and browns (7C12, 11K6, and 14F6)

16-1268: yellow (10C7) and two browns (14L10, 15A12)

16-1277: two yellows (11K8 and one other darker than any in the group) and blue (36F6)

16-1283: yellow (9J5), blue (35D4), and one other color too dull to match any printed sample in the blue group

16-1287: yellows and browns (7C12, 11K6, and 14F6)

One three-color specimen in the 4- lot (pl. 6,f) has a number of well-preserved portions. The weaving proper is natural-color white cotton with plaiding in dark brown (15C12) and gray similar to adobe (14D7). The wide edge stripe has the same dark brown, a lighter, more golden brown (14D12), and central pinkish stripes which approximate printed samples 3C10 or 3C11.

Fig. 8. Diagrams of stripings in Chincha plain-weave cloths:a, two-color stripe, blue and natural color cotton;b, two-color stripe, blue and brown on natural-color ground;c, allover stripe of blue on natural-color ground.

Analyses of over a hundred plain-weave cloths in the Max Uhle collection from Late-period sites at Chincha form the material of this report.

The utilitarian character of most of the cloths is conspicuous. A few plain-weave fabrics undoubtedly belong to garments of the better type, although these specimens, too, are without decoration except for stripings.

Measurements and textures suggest that some weavings may have been mantles or other large wrappings. All the intact ends have the customary Peruvian selvages with heavy loomstring wefts. Intact single breadths range in widths between 4 inches and 41 inches. The wider breadths suggest that the loom upon which these specimens were woven was not the type ordinarily attached to the weaver's waist.

Smooth textures and the uniformly good edges indicate that the weaving yarns were of the high quality wehave learned to expect in the ancient cloths. Thread counts show a wide range, as shown infigure 5.

Technical features in these plain cloths are the standard ones in most respects. Warp locking of the end-to-end variety and a unique finish on a side selvage are the most noteworthy deviations from the norm. Perhaps the least expected feature is the patching of weak or worn spots in the cloths. In their present condition, the several repaired examples reveal hard wear subsequent even to the patching.

Ornamentation in the Chincha plain-weave cloths analyzed for this study consists solely of stripes and plaids; an occasional edge finish is as much a strengthening device as a decorative detail. A few cloths are allover striped; a greater number are bordered on one edge with a series of colors, mainly yellow, browns, and blues.

The group as a whole represents the many fabrics which must have been woven solely for ordinary wear or use, being used later as grave wrappings.

EXPLANATION OF PLATES

(Numbers preceded by 4- and 16- are University of California Museum of Anthropology specimen-catalogue numbers.)

Plate 1

Chincha doll (4-4116) dressed in scrap of plain-weave material. Height overall, 7 inches. Head, a knob wrapped with fiber; black human hair folded over top and drawn in at neck with fiber string. Body composed of 2 tortoras separated to form legs; all elements wrapped with fiber and with one extra "toe" applied to each foot. Arms of wrapped tortora with fingers (3) applied at ends.

Garment of plain cotton material torn crosswise; fold at one side; lapped seam held with coarse stitches at opposite side; seam across shoulders; no openings for arms. Tatters at bottom edge turned to outside and secured with running stitches. Length 5¼ inches; breadth 7¼ inches.

Plate 2

Loomstring ends of Chincha fabrics,a,b, detail of ends of two webs (16-1304b, 16-1270) to show heading strip (1) and weaving proper (2) comparable in texture; (3) section between them, the join, more loosely woven. Width of sections shown, 3.5 inches.

Plate 3

a,b,c, examples of medium-coarse Chincha fabrics (16-1282, 16-1217, 16-1252), fair to good qualities of weaving;d, worn material reinforced by patches held down by running stitches (16-1222). Dark section ofb, 1.25 inches wide;aandcin proportion; upper patch ofd, 9 inches by 6 inches.

Plate 4

Textures of fine fabrics.a, comparable to modern cheesecloth (4-4058b);b, canvaslike (16-1255a);c, open plain weave showing high twist of single-ply yarns (4-3883b).

Plate 5

a, reconstruction of end-to-end warp locking, shown ind, by methods which make possible the change from monochrome to stripes;b, close-texture, semibasket weave with three heavy loomstring wefts at end selvage, whipped seam (16-1292);c, end selvage reinforced with needleknitting (16-1217) (cf.pl. 8,f,g);d, fine cotton garment material with stripes below monochrome section (16-1225), right-hand striped section faded;e, section of textile (×2) with turn of fill-in straightening wefts indicated by black threads (4-4056) (cf.pl. 8,a). Width ofbandc, 3 inches.

Plate 6

a-e, border stripes on Chincha cloths (16-1268, 16-1277, 16-1214, 16-1251, 16-1255a), colors, brown and blue;f, section of plaid with border stripe (4-3973d). Selvages at left. Width of narrowest border stripe, one-fourth inch; others in proportion.

Plate 7

a, reconstruction of border stripes of fabric inplate 6,e;b, reconstruction of stripe found on several specimens;c, section of fabric (×2) showing variations in plain weave and amount of twist given to weaving elements (16-1240);d, section of fabric (×2) showing two-and-two basket weave varied in appearance by arrangement of colored yarns (4-3962).

Plate 8

Reconstructions,a, fill-in weft to straighten working edge (cf.pl. 5,e);b, plain running stitch;c, double running stitch shown in two colors for clarity;d, seam in saddler's or baseball stitch, also called antique seam;e, seam in whipping stitch:f,g, top and side view of needleknitting type found on Chincha edge (pl. 5,c), alternate stitches plain whipping stitches;h,i, two views of reinforced selvage showing strand of twining through tops of whipping stitches.

Plate 9

Weaving and sewing equipment:a-g, undressed thorns, 3.5 to 6 inches long (4-3653);h-o, bunch of fine wooden needles (nshows eye) 4.5 inches long, black and pale color wood (4-3651);p, copper needle (4-4094);q, headed and pointed stick, possibly a warp-lifter (4-3865f);r-w, sticks, some of cane including pointed and headed tools (4-3865a-e, g, h):s,u, weaving swords;t, loom bar;x, weaving sword, 18 inches long.

Plate 1. Chincha Doll

Plate 2. Loomstring Ends

Plate 3. Chincha FabricsView larger image.

Plate 3. Chincha Fabrics

Plate 4. Textures of Fine FabricsView larger image.

Plate 4. Textures of Fine Fabrics

Plate 5. Weaving TechniquesView larger image.

Plate 5. Weaving Techniques

Plate 6. Pattern: Stripes and Plaids

Plate 7. Pattern: Stripes and Variations in Plain Weaves

Plate 8. Reconstructions of Stitches

Plate 9. Weaving and Sewing Equipment

[1]L. M. O'Neale and A. L. Kroeber, Textile Periods in Ancient Peru:I, UC-PAAE, 28:23-56, 1930.[2]A. L. Kroeber and W. D. Strong, The Uhle Collections from Chincha, UC-PAAE, 21:1-54, 1924; Max Uhle (A. L. Kroeber, ed.), Explorations at Chincha, UC-PAAE, 21:55-94, 1924.[3]Max Uhle, Explorations at Chincha, pl. 1, pp. 87-90.[4]Ibid., pp. 68, 69.[5]L. M. O'Neale and A. L. Kroeber, Textile Periods in Ancient Peru: I, basic tables at end of plates.[6]L. M. O'Neale, Textiles of the Early Nazca Period, Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Anthrop. Mem., 2:180, 1937.[7]Ibid., pl. 53, a-c, p. 210.[8]A. Maerz and M. R. Paul, A Dictionary of Color, 1930.[9]L. M. O'Neale, Textiles of the Early Nazca Period, p. 144.

[1]L. M. O'Neale and A. L. Kroeber, Textile Periods in Ancient Peru:I, UC-PAAE, 28:23-56, 1930.

[2]A. L. Kroeber and W. D. Strong, The Uhle Collections from Chincha, UC-PAAE, 21:1-54, 1924; Max Uhle (A. L. Kroeber, ed.), Explorations at Chincha, UC-PAAE, 21:55-94, 1924.

[3]Max Uhle, Explorations at Chincha, pl. 1, pp. 87-90.

[4]Ibid., pp. 68, 69.

[5]L. M. O'Neale and A. L. Kroeber, Textile Periods in Ancient Peru: I, basic tables at end of plates.

[6]L. M. O'Neale, Textiles of the Early Nazca Period, Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Anthrop. Mem., 2:180, 1937.

[7]Ibid., pl. 53, a-c, p. 210.

[8]A. Maerz and M. R. Paul, A Dictionary of Color, 1930.

[9]L. M. O'Neale, Textiles of the Early Nazca Period, p. 144.

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