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.