**Originally Listed At $700**

Pre-Columbian, North Coast Peru, late Sican (Lambayeque) to early Chimu, ca. 900 to 1100 CE. A lovely gathering of six textile appliques comprised of tightly woven camelid (alpaca or llama wool) fibers in hues of crimson, fuchsia, wheat, periwinkle, chocolate, tan, and pearl. Each applique depicts an abstract arachnid with an ovoid sternum, a small head, sinuous legs, and a rounded abdomen, the back legs of which appear to be grasping a frilled object of some indiscernible type. The ancients of Peru utilized spiders as insectile soothsayers - hence the name "oracle spiders" - by letting them scurry across ceremonial textiles so shamans could interpret their movements and divine the future. Mounted atop a heavy fabric backing. Size (appliques - all are relatively similar): 2.75" W x 5.375" H (7 cm x 13.7 cm); size (backing): 32" W x 20.5" H (81.3 cm x 52.1 cm).

Many forms of divination existed among the ancients of Peru, with prognostication instruments ranging from small stones to leaves, bones and intestines, and small animals like snakes and spiders. During rituals of spider divination, according to independent researcher and art curator Vanessa Drake Moraga, "diviners either kept or trapped large "hairy" spiders to consult for omens. The spiders were cast onto a special ceremonial cloth, and their legs were examined for unusual breaks and positions" (Animal Myth and Magic: Images from Pre-Columbian Textiles. OLOLO Press, Larkspur, California, 2005, p. 158).

Provenance: ex-private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-private Hans Jurgen Westermann collection, Germany, acquired 1950 to 1960

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.

Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.

#166687

Appliques have some loosening and fraying to interior and peripheral threads, light staining and fading to coloration, and some small losses to peripheral threads. Mounted on modern cloth backing.