Painted wall hanging depicting prisoners

North or central coast of Peru
1000-1470
Permanent loan from the Stiftung Hamburger Kunstsammlungen 1960
Cotton, fabric dye
ht. 200 cm, w. 300 cm
Inv. Nr. 60.37:1

 

This extraordinary fragment was originally part of an even larger textile, which probably served as a wall hanging. The front shows naked men with a rope around their necks. They are probably prisoners who were often sacrificed. Perhaps the scene was meant to illustrate a victory and a sacrificial ritual associated with it. Other parts of this textile can be found in museums and private collections in France, the Netherlands and the USA.