Peru, south coast, Nazca culture
Tunic depicting felines and birds
3rd­4th century
Camelid wool, plain weave, embellished by feathers 
knotted and attached with cotton yarns in overcast stitches
85.2 x 86 cm
Kate S. Buckingham Endowment, 1955.1789

Find the slit at the top of this tunic for the wearer’s head. Felines are catlike animals, and the felines here probably represent the powerful jaguar, sacred to many pre-Hispanic cultures. How many birds appear? 

This woven tunic with feathers attached must have been made for a person of high rank, since it includes many rare, naturally colored feathers. Like most ancient Peruvian people, the Nazca were fine textile artists.