The textile arts of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas are decorative, utilitarian, ceremonial, or conceptual artworks made from

plant Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all current definitions of Plantae exclud ...

animal Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Kingdom (biology), biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals Heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, are Motilit ...

, or

synthetic Synthetic things are composed of multiple parts, often with the implication that they are artificial. In particular, 'synthetic' may refer to: Science * Synthetic chemical or compound, produced by the process of chemical synthesis * Synthetic o ...

fiber Fiber or fibre (from la, fibra, links=no) is a natural or artificial substance that is significantly longer than it is wide. Fibers are often used in the manufacture of other materials. The strongest engineering materials often incorporate ...

s by

Indigenous peoples of the Americas The Indigenous peoples of the Americas are the inhabitants of the Americas before the arrival of the European settlers in the 15th century, and the ethnic groups who now identify themselves with those peoples. Many Indigenous peoples of the A ...

Textile arts Textile arts are arts and crafts that use plant, animal, or synthetic fibers to construct practical or decorative objects. Textiles have been a fundamental part of human life since the beginning of civilization. The methods and materials u ...

and

fiber arts Fiber art (fibre art in British spelling) refers to fine art whose material consists of natural or synthetic fiber and other components, such as fabric or yarn. It focuses on the materials and on the manual labor on the part of the artist as ...

include

fabric Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...

that is flexible woven material, as well as

felt Felt is a textile material that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing fibers together. Felt can be made of natural fibers such as wool or animal fur, or from synthetic fibers such as petroleum-based acrylic or acrylonitrile or wood ...

, bark cloth, knitting, embroidery,Gibbs 1 featherwork, skin-sewing,

beadwork Beadwork is the art or craft of attaching beads to one another by stringing them onto a thread or thin wire with a sewing or beading needle or sewing them to cloth. Beads are produced in a diverse range of materials, shapes, and sizes, and vary b ...

, and similar media. Textile arts are one of the earliest known industries.

Basketry Basket weaving (also basketry or basket making) is the process of weaving or sewing pliable materials into three-dimensional artifacts, such as baskets, mats, mesh bags or even furniture. Craftspeople and artists specialized in making baskets ...

is associated with textile arts. While humans have created textiles since the dawn of culture, many are fragile and disintegrate rapidly. Ancient textiles are preserved only by special environmental conditions. The oldest known textiles in

the Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North America, North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. ...

are some early fiberwork found in

Guitarrero Cave Guitarrero Cave is located in the Callejón de Huaylas valley in Yungay Province, in the Ancash region of Peru. The cave stands above the Santa River and meters above sea level.Weber, George"Guitarrero cave (Ancash, Peru)." ''Possible Relat ...

, Peru dating back to 10,100 to 9,080 BCE.Stacey, Kevin
"Carbon dating identifies South America's oldest textiles."
''University of Chicago Press Journals.'' 13 April 2013. The oldest known textiles in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

are

twine Twine is a strong Thread (yarn), thread, light String (cord), string or cord composed of two or more thinner strands twisted, and then twisted together (Plying, plied). The strands are plied in the opposite direction to that of their twist, whic ...

and

plain weave Plain weave (also called tabby weave, linen weave or taffeta weave) is the most basic of three fundamental types of textile weaving, weaves (along with satin weave and twill). It is strong and hard-wearing, and is used for fashion and furnishin ...

fabrics preserved in a

peat Peat (), also known as turf (), is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, moors, or muskegs. The peatland ecosystem covers and is the most efficien ...

pond at the

Windover Archaeological Site The Windover Archeological Site is a Middle Archaic ( 6000 to 5000 BC) archaeological site and National Historic Landmark in Brevard County near Titusville, Florida, United States, on the central east coast of the state. Windover is a muck pon ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

, the earliest dating to 6,000 BCE.

Cultural regions

Andes

As previously mentioned, fragments of rope and textiles dating back between 12,100 and 11,080 years ago have been unearthed from

in Peru. Because of the extremely dry conditions of the desert sands, twined textiles from the

Norte Chico civilization Caral-Supe (also known as Caral and Norte Chico) was a complex pre-Columbian-era society that included as many as thirty major population centers in what is now the Caral region of north-central coastal Peru. The civilization flourished betwee ...

in Peru have survived, dating back to 2500-1800 BCE. Cotton and wool from alpaca, llamas, and vicuñas have been woven into elaborate textiles for thousands of years in the Andes and are still important parts of Quechua and

Aymara Aymara may refer to: Languages and people * Aymaran languages, the second most widespread Andean language ** Aymara language, the main language within that family ** Central Aymara, the other surviving branch of the Aymara(n) family, which today ...

culture today. Coroma in

Antonio Quijarro Province Antonio Quijarro is a province in the central parts of the Bolivian Potosí Department situated at the Salar de Uyuni. Its seat is Uyuni. Location Antonio Quijarro province is one of sixteen provinces in the Potosí Department. It is located be ...

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

is a major center for ceremonial textile production. An Aymara elder from Coroma said, "In our sacred weavings are expressions of our philosophy, and the basis for our social organization... The sacred weavings are also important in differentiating one community, or ethnic group, from a neighboring group..." Aguayos are clothes woven from camelid fibers with geometric designs that Andean women wear and use for carrying babies or goods. ; Inca textiles ''Awasaka'' was the most common grade of weaving produced by the Incas of all the ancient Peruvian textiles, this was the grade most commonly used in the production of Inca clothing. Awaska was made from llama or alpaca wool and had a high thread count (approximately 120 threads per inch). Thick garments made from awaska were worn as standard amongst the lower classes of the Andean highlands, while lighter cotton clothing was produced on the warmer coastal lowlands. Peruvian Pima cotton, as used by the Incas, is still regarded as one of the finest cottons available on today’s market. The finest Inca textiles were reserved for the nobility and royalty, including the emperor himself. This cloth, known as

qompi Cumbi (Qunpi, Qompi, Kumpi) was a fine luxurious fabric of the Inca Empire. Elites used to offer cumbi to the rulers, and it was a reserved cloth for Royalty. Common people were not allowed to use Cumbi. Cumbi was a phenomenal textile art of Ande ...

, was of exceptionally high quality and required a specialized and state-run body of dedicated workers. Qompi was made from the finest materials available, alpaca, particularly baby alpaca, and

vicuña wool Vicuña wool refers to the hair of the South American vicuña, an animal of the family of ''camelidae''. The wool has, after shahtoosh, the second smallest fiber diameter of all animal hair and is the most expensive legal wool. Properties The d ...

were used to create elaborate and richly decorated items. As a result of their smoothness, Inca textiles made of vicuña fiber are described as "silk" by the first Spanish explorers. The finest Inca cloth had a thread count of more than 600 threads per inch, higher than that found in contemporaneous European textiles and not excelled anywhere in the world until the industrial revolution in the 19th century.INCA: Textiles and Ornaments of the Andes. e L. Bjerregaard, S.Desrosiers, B.Devia, P.Dransart, E. Dufour, P. Eeckhout, C. Giuntini, N. Goepfert. A.H. Peters, E. Phipps, A.P. Rowe (2019), ,

Circum-Caribbean

Guna tribal members of

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Cos ...

and

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

are famous for their molas, cotton panels with elaborate geometric designs created by a reverse

appliqué Appliqué is ornamental needlework in which pieces or patches of fabric in different shapes and patterns are sewn or stuck onto a larger piece to form a picture or pattern. It is commonly used as decoration, especially on garments. The technique ...

technique. Designs originated from traditional

body art Body art is art made on, with, or consisting of, the human body. Body art covers a wide spectrum including tattoos, body piercings, scarification, and body painting. Body art may include performance art, body art is likewise utilized for investiga ...

designs but today exhibit a wide range of influences, including

pop culture Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * Pop (Gas al ...

. Two mola panels form the bodice of a blouse. When a Guna woman is tired of a blouse, she can disassemble it and sell the molas to art collectors.

Mesoamerica

Mayan women have woven cotton with backstrap looms for centuries, creating items such as ''

huipil ''Huipil'' (Nahuatl: '' huīpīlli'' ; Ch'orti': ''b’ujk''; Chuj: ''nip'') is the most common traditional garment worn by indigenous women from central Mexico to Central America. It is a loose-fitting tunic, generally made from two or three re ...

s'' or traditional blouses. Elaborate

Maya textiles Maya textiles (''k’apak'') are the clothing and other textile arts of the Maya peoples, indigenous peoples of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Belize. Women have traditionally created textiles in Maya society, ...

featured representations of animals, plants, and figures from oral history. In modern times, weaving serves as both an art form and a source of income. Organizing into weaving collectives have helped Mayan women earn better money for their work and greatly expand the reach of Mayan textiles in the world.

Southeastern Woodlands

Pieces of 7,000- to 8,000-year-old

have been found with human burials at the

in Florida. The burials were in a

pond. The fabric had turned into peat, but was still identifiable. Many bodies at the site had been wrapped in fabric before burial. Eighty-seven pieces of fabric were found associated with 37 burials. Researchers have identified seven different weaves in the fabric. One kind of fabric had 26 strands per inch (10 strands per centimeter). There were also weaves using two-strand and three-strand

weft Warp and weft are the two basic components used in weaving to turn thread or yarn into fabric. The lengthwise or longitudinal warp yarns are held stationary in tension on a frame or loom while the transverse weft (sometimes woof) is draw ...

s. A round bag made from

was found, as well as matting. The

yarn Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, used in sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery, ropemaking, and the production of textiles. Thread is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern manufact ...

was probably made from palm leaves.

Cabbage palm Cabbage palm is a common name for several species of palms or palm-like plants: *'' Cordyline fruticosa'', a tropical tree native to Asia and Polynesia *''Corypha utan'', an East Asian fan palm (including Northern Australia) *''Euterpe oleracea'', ...

saw palmetto ''Serenoa repens'', commonly known as saw palmetto, is the sole species currently classified in the genus ''Serenoa''. It is a small palm, growing to a maximum height around . It is endemic to the subtropical and tropical Southeastern United S ...

and scrub palmetto are all common in the area, and would have been so 8,000 years ago. Seminole patchwork shawl

Seminole The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, an ...

seamstresses, upon gaining access to sewing machines in the late 19th century and early 20th centuries, invented an elaborate appliqué patchwork tradition.

Seminole patchwork Seminole patchwork, referred to by Seminole and Miccosukee women as Taweekaache (''design'' in the Mikasuki language), is a patchwork style made from piecing colorful strips of fabric in horizontal bands. Seminole patchwork garments are often trimme ...

, for which the tribe is known today, came into full flower in the 1920s.

Northeastern Woodlands

Great Lakes and Prairie tribes are known for their

ribbonwork Ribbon work is an appliqué technique for clothing and dance regalia among Prairie and Great Lakes Native American tribes. Deb Haaland wore a ribbon skirt made by Agnes Woodward for her 2021 swearing in ceremony as US Interior Secretary. History ...

, found on clothing and blankets. Strips of silk ribbons are cut and appliquéd in layers, creating designs defined by negative space. The colors and designs might reflect the clan or gender of the wearer.

Powwow A powwow (also pow wow or pow-wow) is a gathering with dances held by many Native American and First Nations communities. Powwows today allow Indigenous people to socialize, dance, sing, and honor their cultures. Powwows may be private or pu ...

and other dance regalia from these tribes often feature ribbonwork. These tribes are also known for their fingerwoven sashes.

Oasisamerica

Pueblo In the Southwestern United States, Pueblo (capitalized) refers to the Native tribes of Puebloans having fixed-location communities with permanent buildings which also are called pueblos (lowercased). The Spanish explorers of northern New Spain ...

men weave with cotton on upright looms. Their mantas and sashes are typically made for ceremonial use for the community, not always for outside collectors.

Navajo rug Navajo rugs and blankets ( nv, ) are textiles produced by Navajo people of the Four Corners area of the United States. Navajo textiles are highly regarded and have been sought after as trade items for over 150 years. Commercial production of han ...

s are woven by Navajo women today from

Navajo-Churro sheep The Navajo-Churro, or Churro for short, (also American or Navajo Four-Horned) is a breed of domestic sheep originating with the Spanish Churra sheep obtained by Navajo, Hopi and other Native American nations around the 16th century during the ...

, other breeds of sheep, or commercial wool. Designs can be pictorial or abstract, based on historic Navajo, Spanish, Asian, or Persian designs. 20th century Navajo weavers include

Clara Sherman Clara Nezbah Sherman (February 18, 1914 – July 31, 2010) was a Navajo people, Navajo artist particularly known for her Navajo rugs. Born Nezbah Gould, her mother was of the clan, and her father was of the . She was the last surviving member of t ...

and

Hosteen Klah Hosteen Klah ( nv, , 1867– February 27, 1937) was a Navajo artist and medicine man. He documented aspects of Navajo religion and related ceremonial practices. As a traditional '' nádleehi'' person, he was both a ceremonial singer and master ...

, who co-founded the

Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian The Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian is a museum devoted to Native American arts. It is located in Santa Fe, New Mexico and was founded in 1937 by Mary Cabot Wheelwright, who came from Boston, and Hastiin Klah, a Navajo singer and medici ...

. Valencia, Joseph and Ramona Sakiestewa (

Hopi The Hopi are a Native American ethnic group who primarily live on the Hopi Reservation in northeastern Arizona, United States. As of the 2010 census, there are 19,338 Hopi in the country. The Hopi Tribe is a sovereign nation within the Unite ...

)Indyke, Dottie
Ramona Sakiestewa.
''Southwest Art.'' (retrieved 28 March 2009) and Melissa Cody (

Navajo The Navajo (; British English: Navaho; nv, Diné or ') are a Native American people of the Southwestern United States. With more than 399,494 enrolled tribal members , the Navajo Nation is the largest federally recognized tribe in the United ...

) explore non-representational abstraction and use experimental materials in their weaving.

Northwest coast

Traditional textiles of Northwest Coast tribes are enjoying a dramatic revival.

Chilkat weaving Chilkat weaving is a traditional form of weaving practiced by Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, and other Northwest Coast peoples of Alaska and British Columbia. Chilkat blankets are worn by high-ranking tribal members on civic or ceremonial occasions, ...

and

Ravenstail weaving Ravenstail weaving (''yeil koowu''), also known as Raven's Tail weaving, is a traditional form of geometric weaving-style practiced by Northwest Coast peoples. History The practice of Ravenstail and Chilkat weaving originated among the Tsimshian ...

are regarded as some of the most difficult weaving techniques in the world. A single Chilkat blanket can take an entire year to weave. In both techniques, dog, mountain goat, or sheep wool and shredded cedar bark are combined to create textiles featuring curvilinear formline designs.

Tlingit The Tlingit ( or ; also spelled Tlinkit) are indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. Their language is the Tlingit language (natively , pronounced ),

weaver

Jennie Thlunaut Jennie Thlunaut (–1986) was a Tlingit artist, who is credited with keeping the art of Chilkat weaving alive and was one of the most celebrated Northwest Coastal master weavers of the 20th century.Brown, Steven C. ''Native Visions: Evolution in ...

(1892–1986) was instrumental in this revival.

Button blanket A button blanket is wool blanket embellished with mother-of-pearl buttons, created by Northwest Coastal tribes, that is worn for ceremonial purposes. ''Ceremonial robes and their associated regalia have been among the most spectacular creatio ...

s are wool blankets embellished with mother-of-pearl buttons worn on significant occasions, such as

potlatch A potlatch is a gift-giving feast practiced by Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of Canada and the United States,Harkin, Michael E., 2001, Potlatch in Anthropology, International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Science ...

es.

Notes

References

*Gibbs, Charlotte Mitchell
''Household Textiles.''
Boston: Whitcomb & Barrows, 1912. * Siegal, William (1991). ''Aymara-Bolivianische Textilien.'' Krefeld: Deutsches Textilmuseum. . *Stone-Miller, Rebecca. ''Art of the Andes: from Chavín to Inca''. London: Thames and Hudson, 2002. .

External links

“The Mechanics of the Art World,” ''Vistas: Visual Culture in Spanish America, 1520-1820''.

"PreColumbian Textile Conference Proceedings VII" (2016) "PreColumbian Textiles in the Ethnological Museum in Berlin" (2017)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Textile Arts Of Indigenous Peoples Of The Americas Textile arts