Chancay Textile Fragment, Pre-Columbian Peru

A Pre-Columbian textile fragment from the Chancay culture of coastal Peru, dating to circa AD 1000–1400. It is woven in finely spun camelid wool, most likely alpaca, and dyed with traditional vegetable-based pigments. The design is a rhythmic repeat of stylized zoomorphic figures, likely bird forms, rendered geometrically in the graphic idiom for which Chancay weaving is known.

The wool retains notable vibrancy and surface luster, evidence of high-quality fiber and well-preserved natural dyes. Design and structure correspond to documented Chancay textiles in institutional collections, including examples at the Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, Simon Fraser University, an alignment that supports attribution to the central coastal Chancay culture.

The fragment has been stabilized and mounted on gray muslin for protection and ease of display, ready for framing. Fragment 7¾ x 5¼ inches (197 x 134 mm); muslin mount 8 x 10 inches.