2. Background Information
• Jim and Jeanne Bryant were teachers that taught in Peru
during the 1970s.
• During their time in Peru they acquired hundreds of textiles
from all of the regions.
• Between 1971 to 1975 Jim Bryant donated a large amount
of the textiles to Norman Herrett’s Museum.
• In 1980 Norman Herrett died, after which Jeanne Bryant
donated her collection of sample textiles to the Herrett
Center for the Arts and Sciences.
• Jeanne Bryant’s collection was donated as a separate
collection for the sole purpose of studying it.
• All pieces are grave goods.
• Some pieces are similar, however several are rare
representations of particular motifs.
3. The Collection
• This study collection has over 500 pieces in it.
• It has examples from each region/area, culture of Peru
North:
Chavin ~900 to 1 B.C.
Moche ~1 B.C. to 750 A.D.
Chimu or Chimor ~ 1000 to 1500 A.D.
Central:
Pachamachay ~8000 to 2000 B.C.
Huari ~ 500 to 800 A.D.
Chancay ~ 1000 to 1500 A.D.
South:
Paracas ~ 600 to 1 B.C.
Nazca ~ 1 to 500 A.D.
11. The Problem
• The collection needed
to be catalogued and
studied.
• The collection needed
to be placed in an on-
line database.
• The collection needs
conservation work.
12.
13. The Method
• Each textile was given a catalogue ID.
• Measured by length and width
• Thread count was taken on warp and weft
• Selvage ends were counted, if any
• Fiber determined for all threads
• Colors used recorded
• Motif/design recorded
• Type of weave and spinning style
• Date, region/area, culture determined if possible
• Photograph taken
• Notes of condition, need of conservation, and any other
observations were documented
• Index card (paper and digital) was created using data gathered
• Digital library created using Dreamweaver/Nvivo (in progress)
14. Conservation Efforts
• Some conservation work was done in Peru prior to the pieces being brought to the
U.S.
• Further conservation efforts are at a stand still due to funding and the development
of better techniques.
15. The Next Steps
• Research the significance of specific motifs and their
relation to the cultural area still uses them.
*for example: The Moche’s use of sexually explicit
design in their ceramics which is absent in their weavings.
*The significance of the Staff God in the Northern
regions and the absence of it in the Southern.
• Conduct a case study on modern day weavers and the
affects that globalization has had on their traditions of
weaving, rituals and story telling.
