Magic Feathers
Textile Art from Ancient Per
James R. Reid
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Description
Magic Feathers: Textile Art from Ancient Peru explores the extraordinary feather textiles and three-dimensional feather objects created for the elite of the ancient Andean world, spanning roughly 500 BC to 1550 AD. Author James W. Reid, an internationally recognised scholar of ancient American textile art, examines the major featherwork traditions of ancient Peru. He discusses the techniques involved in their creation, from the sourcing of feathers to their construction and dating.The book also considers the religious, political and social roles these objects played in ancient Peruvian life, the meaning behind their motifs and designs, and the striking parallels between this ancient art form and Modern Art. An additional essay by Dr John P. O'Neill examines the birds of the Andes and Amazonia whose feathers were used in the creation of these remarkable textiles.
About the Author
James W. Reid was an Andinologist specialising in the art, archaeology and history of ancient South America. Educated at Princeton, Stanford and the University of Buenos Aires, he is widely regarded as one of the leading authorities on ancient Andean textile traditions. His research combined archaeology, anthropology, history and art history, informed by decades of fieldwork throughout Peru and the wider Andes. Through this interdisciplinary approach, Reid brought new depth to the understanding of ancient Peruvian textiles by placing them within their broader cultural and religious context.
