PreColumbian Textiles in the Ethnological Museum in Berlin

Europe’s largest collection of PreColumbian textiles, housed at the Ethnological Museum in Berlin and comprising around 9000 well-preserved items, offers unprecedented insights into ancient Andean cultures. This volume, compiled by conservator Lena Bjerregaard and featuring contributions from international researchers, analyzes these textiles—ranging from Paracas to Colonial periods—revealing intricate styles, materials (camelid fibers, cotton, feathers), and cultural significance, including ritual headdresses and khipus (knotted strings). The 177-page catalogue, with over 380 photographs, systematically documents 273 representative items, bridging gaps in our understanding of textile traditions across time and regions. Key findings highlight the diversity of techniques, symbolic imagery (e.g., animal motifs on khipus), and craftsmanship, while contextualizing them within broader cultural narratives.

Bjerregaard, L., & Huss, T. (2017). PreColumbian Textiles in the Ethnological Museum in Berlin. Zea Books. https://doi.org/10.13014/k2pn93h6