Description
In central and southern coastal Peru, archaeologists have unearthed a variety of weaving tools and work baskets. These are often found in women’s burials, which suggests that spinning yarn and weaving textiles were the domain of women. This basket was probably made for a weaver to hold tools used in making textiles, such as needle cases, needles, spindles, and combs.
Provenance
Eduard Gaffron (1861–1931), Lima, Peru, from 1892 to 1912, then Berlin, from 1912 [History of the Department report (Joanne Behrens, 1985) and correspondence in curatorial file]; by descent to his children Mercedes Gaffron, Berlin then Durham, SC, and Hans Gaffron (1902–1979), Berlin then Chicago [correspondence and documentation of the Gaffron Collection in curatorial file]; sold to the Art Institute, 1955.
Accession Number
85586
Medium
Reed, dyed split reed, and plied cotton
Dimensions
30.5 × 11.4 × 14 cm (12 × 4 1/2 × 5 1/2 in.)
Classification
sewing baskets
Credit Line
Kate S. Buckingham Endowment