Tapestry-woven Yoke from a Tunic

800–1200?

Tapestry-woven Yoke from a Tunic, 800–1200?. Central Andes, North Central Coast, Moche-Wari Style. Camelid fiber and cotton, tapestry weave; overall: 64.8 x 102.8 cm (25 1/2 x 40 1/2 in.); mounted: 69.2 x 108 cm (27 1/4 x 42 1/2 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1925.667 This fragment comes from the neck area of a tunic; the shoulder fold would have divided the diamond in half horizontally and thick embroidery defines remnants of the neck opening. In the rectangular area on the chest are two similar, long-tailed creatures rendered in a highly geometric style. Each is rotated 90 degrees so its tail is parallel to the bottom edge; the two-toed paws at the top may identify the creatures as deer or Andean camelids, such as llamas or alpacas.