Textiles and Weavings

Soft and colorful and lightweight throw of woven Peruvian cotton featuring various different motifs such as sun and flower.  Finished edges.  Made in Peru.

Soft and colorful and lightweight throw of woven Peruvian cotton featuring various different motifs such as sun and flower. Finished edges. Made in Peru.

Our soft yet strong South American sling is made of alpaca hair from Peruvian craftspeople in the South Andes. The Peruvian name for a sling is huaraca. In the ancient Andean civilizations, such as the Inca Empire, slings were made from llama wool. Andean slings were constructed from contrasting colors of wool; complex braiding and fine workmanship resulting in beautiful patterns. Ceremonial slings were also made; these were large, and non-functional and generally lacked a slit for a stone. To this day, ceremonial slings are used in parts of the Andes as accessories in dances and in mock battles. They are also used by llama herders; the animals will move away from the thump of a well-aimed stone. The stones are not slung to hit the animals, but to persuade them to move in the desired direction.

Our soft yet strong South American sling is made of alpaca hair from Peruvian craftspeople in the South Andes. The Peruvian name for a sling is huaraca. In the ancient Andean civilizations, such as the Inca Empire, slings were made from llama wool. Andean slings were constructed from contrasting colors of wool; complex braiding and fine workmanship resulting in beautiful patterns. Ceremonial slings were also made; these were large, and non-functional and generally lacked a slit for a stone. To this day, ceremonial slings are used in parts of the Andes as accessories in dances and in mock battles. They are also used by llama herders; the animals will move away from the thump of a well-aimed stone. The stones are not slung to hit the animals, but to persuade them to move in the desired direction.