Incuña or Tari Women’s Ceremonial Head or Ground Cloth, Pacajes Region. Dept of La Paz,19th C. Alpaca warp and weft. Natural dyes. The Pacajes region is renowned for its high-quality alpaca herds and fine weaving. This incuña is an example of both. The textile is made in the iscayo style which features bands of indigo blue and cochineal red on a natural alpaca colored ground. The Pacasa wizards used the cloth primarily during rituals for the propitiation of their alpacas, but also for the divination of coca and other religious rites. The ritual paraphernalia and amulets used in these ceremonies are elaborate and varied. Significantly the textile has four rows of opposite spun bi-chrome yarns, which is a shamanistic power structure used to protect the textile from dangerous spirits. Size: 29'' x 26'' (74 x 66 cm).

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