Tassel
500/900
Wool (camelid), oblique interlinked and interlaced warp (sprang); crossknit looping over folded unworked warps; sides joined with wool (camelid) in overcast stitch
37.5 × 23.5 cm (14.8 × 9.3 in)
SEE IT IN PERSON
Not currently on view
In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026
Discussion
FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG
Woven tassels were worn in pairs, attached to a long cord that wrapped around a person’s head, with one tassel falling to each side. Several dozen of these large and elaborately patterned tassels are known, all with the same shape and structure. The tassels were made via a complex technique that produced multiple interconnected layers and mirror-image symmetry. The complexity of Nazca textiles like these far exceeds functional or representational requirements, suggesting that there is symbolic meaning embedded in the structure itself.
Be the first to share your thoughts.
Sign in to join the discussion.
More by Nasca
Border Fragment
Fragment (Border)
Bowl Depicting Abstract Plants, Probably Cactus
Bowl with Repeated Spiral-Like Motifs
Bowl Depicting Fish, Sharks, or Whales
Bowl with Concentric Half-Circle Motifs Descending from Rim
Bowl Depicting Rows of Spotted Birds
Open Bowl with Areas Depicting Abstract Plants and Animal MoMore like this
Islamic — Fragment from the Mantle of Don Felipe
Greece, Northern Sporades Islands, Lesbos, Mytilene — Towel
Iban
Indonesia, Borneo, Sarawak? — Ceremonial Cloth (Pua kom
Chancay — Loincloth Panel
Greece, Cyclades Islands, Naxos — Panel
Indonesia, South Sumatra, Lampung — Woman's Ceremonial Skirt
Paracas — Border Fragment
Iran (Persia) — Panel (Furnishing Fabric)
Italy — Fragment
Paminggir — Woman's Ceremonial Skirt (tapis)
Spain — Fragment
Kuba — Woman's Overskirt