feathers, plant fibers, threadexpand_more
Gift of George W. Rickeyexpand_more 2000.77.1
Colorful tropical birds were rare in South America’s Andes highlands and arid Pacific coast region, so feathered accessories and garments in those areas were luxury items reserved for nobility. Brilliantly colored feathers and live birds were imported from the eastern slopes of the Andes and the Amazon rain forest and symbolized authority, spiritual power, hunting prowess, and masculine virility. Feather fans like this one would have been part of regalia worn for special occasions, such as the declaration or conclusion of war, ceremonies and festivals. Feathered items were also offered as sacrifices in religious ceremonies. Owing to the delicacy of feathers, and their ritual sacrifice, limited examples of Andean feather work survive.
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