Pre-Columbian, Central Coast Peru, Huari (Wari), ca. 700 to 1000 CE. A beautiful four cornered hat from the Huari culture made of low pile camelid (llama or alpaca) fiber that is brightly dyed. This hat has a characteristically square top that is adorned with green and red tassels. The sides of the hat present wonderful checkboard patterns of four stylized avian creatures standing in profile, all rendered in hues of red, beige, green, blue, purple, yellow, and brown. The pile is constructed from individual tufts secured to a woven base fabric. Huari ceramics containing figures are often depicted wearing these square hats, perhaps as indicators of rank. The natural dyes and motifs are beautifully preserved and demonstrate the remarkable skill of these Pre-Columbian weavers. Size: 4.8" L x 4.8" W x 4.125" H (12.2 cm x 12.2 cm x 10.5 cm) Textiles and items containing woven textile materials were some of the most valuable items in Huari culture as they probably exacted them as tribute from the peoples they conquered. This makes it difficult for archaeologists to identify where these beautiful objects were originally woven, because they travelled so much around the Huari Empire. Huari textiles like this example, were likely formed by hand after weaving the colorful threads on a rectangular loom. The textiles that are preserved today are often from the desert areas between the Pacific Coast and the Andes; the Huari capital, in the highlands, was too wet to preserve cloth through the centuries, and as a result, textiles and hats like this are exceedingly rare. According to the curatorial team at the Met, "Finely woven tunics and four-cornered hats were symbols of prestige in Wari and Tiwanaku societies. Worn by high-status men, these garments were decorated with geometric designs and stylized figurative images depicting staff bearing anthropomorphic figures, animals, and plants central in Wari and Tiwanaku religions." For a similar example please see the Metropolitan Museum of Art accession number: 1983.497.7. This piece has been searched against the Art Loss Register database and has been cleared. The Art Loss Register maintains the world’s largest database of stolen art, collectibles, and antiques. Provenance: ex-Steve Berger, Arte Textile private collection since 1991 All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm. Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping. #164359