Border Fragment
100 B.C./A.D. 200
Cotton, plain weave band; embroidered with cotton and wool (camelid) in stem and cross-knit loop stitches; edged with cross-knit looping tabs
5.4 × 183.5 cm (2.1 × 72.2 in)
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Not currently on view
In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026
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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG
This small but showy textile composed of three-dimensional birds, butterflies, fish, and spiders was likely a border attached to the edge of a solid-colored plain woven textile. Remarkably detailed, these types of borders celebrate the natural world and highlight the achievements of Nazca dyers. The multiple vibrant colors, produced only through the use of natural substances such as indigo, further emphasizes the natural world’s abundance.
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