Peruvian Textiles | Folk Art in Peru

Textiles today have inherited a legacy of an ancient pre-Hispanic tradition developed across the country. Striking examples are the Paracas blankets and Inca and Wari weavings from Ayacucho.

The oldest textiles to date were found in the Huaca Prieta temple in Chicama, dating back more than 4,000 years.

The departments best-known for weavings include Ayacucho, Puno, Cusco, Junín, Apurímac and Lima. Cusco decoration includes elements such as the tika, representing the potato flower, and the sojta, a geometric design that symbolizes the harvest cycle.

Weavers produce a rich variety of woolen chullo caps with earflaps, coca leaf bags, cummerbund and scarves such as those sold in the Sicuani market (Puno), or in the Sunday market at Písac (Cusco).

Another major textile producer is Ayacucho, which in recent years has specialized in weft and warp weavings featuring abstract motifs.