Poncho

Three panels of fine cloth join to create a symmetrical array of vertical polychrome stripes. After Spanish textile workshops introduced the poncho form to South America as a colonial style of dress in the 16th century, Indigenous Aymará and Quechua peoples made their own versions for men to wear. This poncho reflects ancient artistic techniques in the Andean highlands such as hand-spinning alpaca fibers, finishing all edges on the loom, and creating a woven structure that highlights vertical warp yarns.