1977.59.5 (Loom, backstrap)

Black and white textile strands tied to two pieces of light wood with triangles carved out at both ends. There are two small bamboo poles at center, partially completed picture depicts two multi-colored birds; the name "Chota, Peru" appears at top, woven into design. These backstrap looms are used for their convenience and mobility. These looms are portable and do not require a table or a floor loom to complete the work. Users can wrap the loom around their backs and work sitting down. There are many different styles of traditional looms that appear throughout the periods of history, this type of loom is a tourist piece that most resembles an Inca style and those are found in the Late Horizon, which dates from 1476-1537 CE. Many different communities use the backstrap loom, but there are slight differences: Jiavaro weave a fine cloth and the Yine weave a coarse cloth, and Aymaran men use a floor loom while the women use a backstrap loom.