**First Time At Auction**

Pre-Columbian, North Coast Peru, Lambayeque culture, ca. 1000 to 1476 CE. A large fragment of openwork and slit-tapestry weaving techniques made from camelid (alpaca or llama) wool and cotton, in the form of an abstract anthropomorphic being, possibly a deity, lord, or warrior. The textile is mounted in a protective glass and wood frame case. The stylized fearsome figure may be a portrait of Nylamp, the traditional founder of the Lambayeque dynasty and equivalent to the Moche god, Ai Apec. Nylamp came from the south by sea and colonized the region before he allegedly sprouted wings and flew off into the sunset in a dramatic display of his magical powers. The dyed fibers still retain great pigmentation, especially the blue, and this may have been part of a funerary shroud that was buried with the deceased, which helped preserve the fibers! Size of textile: 8" L x 7.5" W (20.3 cm x 19 cm); frame: 12.125" L x 12.25" W (30.8 cm x 31.1 cm)

For a similar example of this type of motif, please see the Brooklyn Museum's website, accession number: 2004.109.2.

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-Ida L. collection, Mt. Vernon, New York, USA, acquired in the 1970s - 1980s

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#177778

Fragment of a larger piece as shown. Fraying to peripheries and tears as shown. Some fading and minor discoloration to fibers. Mounted in a modern glass and wood frame.