Mini Snapshot: All T’oqapu Tunic
Inka. 1450-1540 C.E. Camelid fiber and cotton
The All-T'oqapu Tunic is an example of the height of Andean textile fabrication and its centrality to Inka expressions of power.
Complete Identification:
All T’oqapu Tunic
No known artist
1450 - 1540 (Peru)
Camelid fiber and cotton
Inka people
Form:
Tunic: A woven rectangle piece of cloth folded to be a square, with a slit woven into the middle for the neck, decorated with small red woven squares.
T’oqapu: composition of these square geometric motifs that make up the entirety of the tunic, found around stomach or shoulders on upper class tunics.
Normally, an Inka tunic with t’oqapu on it would have a band or bands of the motif near the neck or at the waist.
The All-T’oqapu Tunic is made of dyed camelid wool warp over a cotton weft, which was a common combination for high-status textiles.
Cochineal red and indigo blue dye
Collecting, spinning and dyeing fibers for a textile represented a huge amount of work from numerous people before a weaver evan began their task.
Especially the process of dyeing the cloth into its vibrant red and blue colors. The red was one of the hardest colors to make, requiring the collection and grinding of hundreds of small bugs from cacti.
It takes hundreds and thousands of them just to make a small amount of dye
The blue dyeing requires a high level of technical skill and a large investment in time.
Red- and blue-dyed textiles were not only beautiful, they also represented the apex of the resources needed to produce them and the social and political power that commanded those resources.
Because of the amount of work needed to create these dye’s, they were reserved only for high-status textiles
Warp & Weft Thread
Two techniques of threading - Warp thread and Weft thread
Warp thread: vertical background threads, usually cotton, does not show in final product.
Weft thread: horizontal threads, dyed vicuna wool, what shows in final product.
The weft threads are made of finest and softest alpaca hair, dyed with most expensive dye from cochineal, and the presence of all of the T'oqapus show that the king, who wore this tunic, identified with his people but was also in charge, laid claim to all of them.
The threads in the All-T’oqapu Tunic were spun so finely that there are approximately 100 threads per centimeter, making for a light, strong weave.
Cotton and Camelid Fiber
Two main fibers spun into the threads of the tunic came from cotton and camelids
Cotton plants grew well on the Andean coast, in a variety of natural colors
Most camelid fiber textiles were made with the silky wool of alpacas, which thrived in the highlands
These fibers were used because they were dyed easily than other materials such as plant fibers. So when weavers wanted bright colors they’d most commonly used this alpaca wool.
Content:
Symbolism
Individual t’oqapu designs are believed to represent various peoples/ethnicities, places, and social roles within the Inka empire.
Covering a single tunic with a large variety of t’oqapu, as seen in this example, likely makes it a royal tunic, and symbolizes the power of the Inka ruler (the Sapa Inka).
Sapa Inka
The Sapa Inka’s power is manifest in the tunic in many different ways
Firstly, its fine thread, expert weave, and bright colors signify his ability to command the taxation of the empire, access to luxury goods like rare and difficult dyes, and the weaving expertise of the acllas. (We’ll talk about the acllas later on)
Secondly, among the t’oqapu in the tunic is one pattern than contains a black and white checkerboard which was the tunic pattern worn by the Inka army, and shows the Sapa Inka’s military power.
Lastly, the collection of many patterns shows that the Sapa Inka (which means “unique Inka” in Quechua) was a special individual who held claim to all t’oqapu and therefore all the peoples and places of his empire. It is a statement of absolute dominion over the land, its people, and its resources, manifested in an item that is typically Andean in its material and manufacture. (since textiles were very prominent before the Inka’s time)
Acllas
Textiles were produced by a number of groups, but the finest cloth, called qompi was produced by acllas (“chosen women”). .
Wove specifically for the elite government officials and royals.
These women were collected from across the empire and cloistered in buildings to weave fine cloth.
The acllas also performed religious rituals, and made and served chicha (corn beer) at state feasts.
These women spun, dyed, and wove fibers that were collected as part of the Inka taxation system.
Backstrap looms
Weaving in Andean cultures was usually done on backstrap looms made from a series of sturdy sticks supporting the warp, or skeletal threads, of the textile.
A backstrap loom is tied to a post or tree at one end, while the other end is attached to a strap that passes around the back of the weaver.
By leaning forward or tilting back, the weaver can adjust the tension on the warp threads as he or she passes the weft threads back and forth, creating the pattern that we see on the surface of the textile.
It was traditional to weave garments in a single piece if possible, as cutting the cloth once it was off the loom would destroy its spirit existence (camac), which formed as it grew on the loom. By the time of the Inka, an incredible number of variations on this basic technique had created all kinds of textile patterns and weaves.
Function
Worn by the king (Sapa Inka) to identify him and keep him warm
Tunics like these served as power symbols in the Incan culture with each small insignia, or T’oqapu, representing an accomplishment or history of an individual.
The mass of T’oqapu on this tunic ensure to us that it belonged to a royal.
Believed the cloth had spirit (camuc)
Textiles were also used for maps, quipu (bookkeeping or like numerical storage device)
The textiles they produced were then given as royal gifts, worn by the royal household, or burned as a precious sacrifice to the sun god, Inti.
Special clothing marked changes in life cycles, both as costume for initiation ceremonies and as a mark of age, social status and distinction. Speicific people wore specific clothes for specific occasions. Cloth was offered to the gods in burnt offerings, used to dress and preserve mummies, and offered in burials. Finally, cloth provided a medium for representing the gods and religious imagery reflecting cosmological concepts
Context:
The All-T’oqapu Tunic created during the height of Andean textile fabrication
Direct link to Inka’s value of power
Name derives from how the tunic is decorated
Each geometric square displays a unique motif that combines together to make up the whole tunic.
These individual squares are called “T'oqapu”
The tunic’s were a symbol of royalty, only those of high status were allowed to wear the society.
A single tunic with a vast number of different t’oqapu makes it a royal tunic, and symbolizes the power of the Inka ruler (the Sapa Inka).
No other known tunic incorporates such a large number and variety of t'oqapu into its design.
Possibly worn by the ruler himself, this all-t'oqapu tunic portrays the message that he controlled enormous diversity and almost the totality of possible motifs in his clothing.
Background:
The Inka were masters of statecraft
Forged an empire that at its height extended from modern Quito, Ecuador to Santiago, Chile.
One of the engines that drove the empire was the exchange of high-status goods
Helped to secure economic and power relationships that were unequal between the Inka and their subjects.
Inka’s had more influence over their subjects.
Precious materials such as Spondylus shell from the warm waters of coastal Ecuador or gold from remote mountain mines were shaped into high-status objects.
These were given to local leaders as part of a system of imposed obligations that gave the Inka the right to claim portions of local produce and labor as their due.
Along with jewels, political feasts and gifts of finely-made textiles would also cement these unequal relationships.
Textiles and their creation had been highly important in the Andes long before the Inka came to power in the mid-15th century—in fact, textile technologies were developed well before ceramics. Finely-made textiles from the best materials were objects of high status among nearly all Andean cultures, much more valuable than gold or gems. The All-T’oqapu Tunic is an example of the height of Andean textile fabrication and its centrality to Inka expressions of power.
Textile creation was very important culturally and economically
Weaving was an important job
Textiles were more important than and valued more than anything else in the culture.
More than gold.
Viracocha was the creator of everything, from the sun to the moon and stars
Inka’s believed they were derived from the sun god.
The Inka ruler- believed to be the physical embodiment and representation of Inti, on earth.
Inka religion - rituals were aimed at trying to control the natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, drought etc.
The ruler’s feather headdress
Both similar in their functions and how they were only to be worn by royalty in both cultures. Even though the headdress was more ritual, they both were elements in praising deities.
Ahu’ula feather cape
Pacific art
Both works have common themes of geometrical patterns and bright, vibrant colors, even though they aren’t the same.
Worn in the same way, sort of over the shoulders around the neck.
Both display authority and power, worn by royalty and high status
Both work shows the distinctions between the social classes of the cultures.
- Identity
- Symbolism
- Life cycles
- All three of these tie into each other because the tunic would display what stages in life the wearer was in, as well as individual accomplishments, symbols of status, tribes, ethnicities and if the tunic was created for the royals it would portray certain battle symbols and other symbols that represented the enitirity of the Inca empire. In this work the Al-toqapu tunic was created for the king which is why we see an abundance of different themes and motifs across the tunic
- Power Authority
- Wealth and Status
- Materials and technique
Importance of Textiles:
Religion:
Cross cultural connections
Themes:
