By Katerine Albornoz

Currently, there are various forms of artistic expression that reflect human creativity in history. This connection with art has been a constant in our past and continues to be relevant today, though often we may not be fully aware of it. 

A simple example of how art is present in our daily lives are the clothes we wear. Beyond being just clothes, each garment has a story that reflects economic, social and political aspects of societies. Also, various decorative techniques are used to create them, such as printing, which not only makes them more beautiful, but also convey messages and cultural meanings. These techniques are essential because they not only embellish, but also connect the present with the past, linking traditions and forms of cultural expression.

On this occasion, the note will focus on one of these decorative techniques that, employed since ancient times, have survived to the present day: painting and embroidery on fabric. We will explore how these techniques have been present over time and how they are still a vital form of artistic expression today. 

What is a fabric? 

First of all, it should be noted that fabric is primarily a cultural artifact. This concept not only encompasses the creation of textiles and garments, but also constitutes an integral component of a complex social, political and economic web. Its meaning goes beyond the purely functional, inserting itself into the core of human interactions and structures (Jiménez Díaz, 2004).

Moreover, a fabric is the result of a meticulous process that involves the collaboration of individuals with specialized skills and knowledge. There are numerous research studies on textiles inherited from the ancient Peruvians, which analyze their technological characteristics, iconographic evidence and other aspects. This research has shown the prolonged presence of fabrics in the history of our country.

Textile activity in ancient Peru

The great variety of textile vestiges from different geographical and temporal contexts have generated great interest among researchers. This has led to various studies focused on analyzing and reconstructing the variety of techniques used by the ancient inhabitants of Peru, as well as on understanding the different stages of the textile production process (D'Hacourt, 1962; Irene Emery, 1994; Lavalle & Lang, 1980; Mirambell & Sánchez Martínez, 1986; O'Neale, 1942). The textile activity, in its economic dimension, presents a remarkable complexity, which is reflected in the meticulous work process necessary to produce a textile garment. 

Textile activity, in its economic dimension, presents a remarkable complexity, which is reflected in the meticulous work process necessary to produce a textile garment. The different phases involved in this process are detailed below:

1. Obtaining and processing the raw material: 

For the weaving process, it is fundamental to have fibers, which constitute the basic elements. A fiber is a filament composed of single-celled fibrils. These fibers are classified into two types: natural and synthetic (Mirambell & Sánchez Martínez, 1986).

Natural fibers, obtained from nature, are subdivided into several categories:

Vegetable fibers: According to their botanical origin, they are classified as:

 ➣ Stem fibers: such as flax and jute.

 ➣ Surface fibers: such as coconut and cotton.

Animal fibers: According to their origin, they are divided into:

 ➣ External fibers: such as hair and wool.

 ➣ Internal fibers: such as nerves or tendons.

On the other hand, synthetic fibers are those produced by humans, such as polyester and nylon, among others.

Fiber processing includes fiber cleaning and discarding, followed by the spinning stage.

2. Spinning

The spinning process involves arranging the fibers and, through twisting and turning, creating the yarn. To carry out this procedure, two tools were mainly used: the spindle and the piruro (a spindle counterweight; see image 1). The resulting yarn, whether cotton or wool, will be later employed in the manufacture of the fabric, and the quality of the final product depends largely on this process (Mejía et al., 1978). 

3. Dyeing

In order for textiles to display designs in a variety of colors, the threads must undergo a process known as dyeing. This procedure is performed using natural dyes extracted from dyeing plants, minerals or insects, along with fixatives. Fixatives, or mordants, are substances that are added to dyes to ensure their adherence to the tissue (see image 2). These can include a variety of materials such as plant ash, lime, urine, vinegar, among others (Arnold, 2016; Buitrón, 2000). 

4. Warping and Weaving

Once the threads have been produced, comes the warping, a process that consists in organizing and placing the threads in the position that they will occupy on the loom. The loom is a tool used for weaving, where the threads are arranged vertically (warps) and held taut. There are two types of looms: horizontal and vertical (Arnold, 2016; Buitrón, 2000; Mirambell & Sánchez Martínez, 1986) (see images 3 and 4, respectively).

The loom used until now is the backstrap loom, also known as the sash loom. This device is composed of two parallel rods: one is secured to a log or stake, while the other is tied to the weaver's waist by a band. Due to its lightness and portability, this loom allows the creation of various textile structures. This notwithstanding, its use is limited to the production of narrow and long pieces, such as sashes, bands or small to medium-sized fabrics (Jiménez Díaz, n.d.; Mejía et al., 1978). 

In relation to decoration, it is not only used for aesthetic purposes, but also as a means to represent messages or transmit the worldview of each society. This content can be integrated into the structure of the fabric, and the figure is defined as it is woven. This is achieved through various techniques that can be decorative or structural, such as representations obtained by impregnating the fabric, as in dyed and painted fabrics, or through intervention on the fabric, as in the case of embroidery and the applications of fabrics, feathers, shells, metal plates or other elements (Lavalle & Lang, 1980).

Among the decorative techniques, the dyeing in reserve stands out. This is a practice that allows images to be created through tight ties, folds and seams. This technique appeared in the first millennium B.C. in the fabrics of the Chavín culture and has lasted up to the present day (Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art, 1999). 

An additional decorative technique is fabric painting, which implies the application of pigments on the surface of the fabric. To obtain various effects, methods such as the application of denser pigments are used to define specific areas and linear tracing to delimit areas painted with gouache techniques, creating an effect similar to that of watercolor. This technique has evidence of its use for approximately 3000 years. An example of this is the painted textiles found in Carhua (Cordy - Collins, 1999) (see image 5). It is known that painted fabrics had different uses, such as in the painted funerary masks of the Paracas culture (Dawson, 1979) (see image 6). This technique has survived over time, regardless of space, time, and sociocultural context. 

Aside from painting on fabric, there are other decorative techniques such as embroidery. The latter consists in the insertion of threads into a flat fabric, made once the fabric has been manufactured, using a needle-like tool that fixes the threads and allows the decorative motifs to be highlighted.

Embroidery was one of the most widespread techniques in the Paracas culture, whose textiles are highly valued for their unique style, as well as for the techniques and decorations that distinguish them from those found in other textile centers in Peru. In this way, we can find exquisite examples of cloaks, funerary masks and three-dimensional figures, among others (see images 7 and 8).

Reflections on the present

Nowadays, many of these decorative techniques are still in use and we are adapting them to our current context. A good example are the young artisans of the province of Ascope, who are working arduously to innovate and modernize their art, bringing it closer to the people of today in a new way.

One way to give value to, and promote, these techniques is by integrating them into our daily lives. Luis Aguilar and Viviana Saucedo are great examples of this. Luis is using the embroidery technique in an innovative way, creating modern accessories that we use every day. For her part, Viviana uses painting on fabric to design garments inspired by the history of Paiján, such as tablecloths and bags.

Just as these young artisans are inspired by our past and the history of their community, there are many ways to support and promote these venues for learning and disseminating our cultural heritage.

Bibliography

Arnold, D. (2016). Textiles and the documentation of tribute in the Andes: the meanings of textiles in tributary contexts (A. Acevedo, Ed.; First).

Buitrón, D. (2000). Paracas fabrics, an expression of the technological and artistic knowledge of a regional society of ancient Peru. Bulletin, 3.

Cordy - Collins, A. (1999). Chavin painted fabrics from the Ica Valley, South Coast. In Millenary textiles of Perú (pp. 107-|41). AFP Integra.

Dawson, L. (1979). Mummy masks made of painted fabric of Ica, Peru. In A. Pollar R., E. Benson, & A.-L. Schaffer (Eds.), Pre-Columbian Textile Conference (p. 83).

D’Hacourt, R. (1962). Textiles of ancient Peru and their techniques (G. G. Denny & C. M. Osborne, Eds.). Dover Publications.

Irene Emery. (1994). The primary structures of fabrics. Thames & Hudson.

Jiménez Díaz, M. J. (n.d.). The pre-Hispanic fabrics of the Museum of America and the reconstruction of the Andean past.

Jiménez Díaz, M. J. (2004). Textiles and the textile world in the central and south-central Andes through the collection of the Museum of America in Madrid: pre-Hispanic and colonial periods [Thesis]. Universidad Complutense de Madrid.

Lavalle, J. A. de, & Lang, W. (1980). Pre-Columbian Art: Part One, Textile Art and Ornaments. Central Bank of Peru.

Mejía, T., Muelle, J., Fung, R., Silva, F., Tello, J., & Lechtman, H. (1978). Andean Technology (R. Ravines, Ed.). Institute of Peruvian Studies.

Mirambell, L., & Sánchez Martínez, F. (1986). Archaeological materials of organic origin: textiles.

Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art (1999). Tie-dye: The art of dyeing in the pre-Hispanic Andes.

O’Neale, L. M. (1942). Textile periods in ancient Peru: II Paracas caverns and the grand Necropolis. American Archaeology and Ethnology, 39(2), 143–202.