ANDEAN TEXTILES

Andean weavings possess a complexity that is an object of admiration, which fuses the past and the present, the practical and the symbolic. They are characterized by being represented in an abstract, realistic, geometric form, as well as a means of expression of culture. Since pre-Hispanic times there have been three types of Andean looms; the first one works by tying the sticks or "enjulios" in which the warp is hooked to a fixed point and to the waist of the person who weaves, thus controlling the tension of the fabric. In the other two types, the tension is fixed as the swarms are included in a rigid frame, composed of four stakes that are placed parallel to the ground or perpendicular. Some writers mentioned that the Incas increased their textile production by imposing a textile mita, which forced them to weave for the State, they used alpaca wool to obtain natural shades such as white, dark red, brown black, yellow and gray, while vicuña wool was used for the elite.

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