Tunic
In the second half of the first millennium A.D., the Wari peoples of Peru exerted strong cultural and political influence over the southern coastal and highland regions from their capital city, also called Wari (a few miles northeast of present-day Ayacucho). They introduced a distinctive art style, found on fine polychrome ceramics, exquisite personal ornaments crafted of precious materials, expertly carved works in wood, shell, and stone, and especially on elaborate textiles.
The vividly colored tie-dyed tunics featuring purely geometric motifs were also highly valued. The complex process of production involved tightly bunching the fabric (it is lighter than tapestry-woven cloth), tying a yarn around the bunch, and immersing the fabric in dye. The fabric underneath the binding did not absorb the dye; releasing the tie revealed a motif in the original, lighter color, typically a hollow diamond or a circle, as seen in this example.
The vividly colored tie-dyed tunics featuring purely geometric motifs were also highly valued. The complex process of production involved tightly bunching the fabric (it is lighter than tapestry-woven cloth), tying a yarn around the bunch, and immersing the fabric in dye. The fabric underneath the binding did not absorb the dye; releasing the tie revealed a motif in the original, lighter color, typically a hollow diamond or a circle, as seen in this example.
Artwork Details
- Title: Tunic
- Date: 7th–9th century
- Geography: Peru
- Culture: Wari
- Medium: Camelid hair
- Dimensions: H. 36 1/8 x W. 44 3/8 in. (91.8 x 112.7 cm)
- Classification: Textiles-Woven
- Credit Line: Gift of Arthur M. Bullowa, 1980
- Object Number: 1980.564.1
- Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Moche artist(s)
500–850 CE
Nasca-Wari
800–850 CE
Wari
7th–9th century
Wari
7th–9th century
Wari
7th–9th century
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.