Project to Recover Prehispanic Textile Techniques in Peru: A brief review, from its initiation to today

Authors

Yuki SeoFollow

Date of this Version

2020

Document Type

Article

Citation

Published in Hidden Stories/Human Lives: Proceedings of the Textile Society of America 17th Biennial Symposium, October 15-17, 2020. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/tsaconf/

doi: 10.32873/unl.dc.tsasp.0125

Comments

Copyright © 2020 Yuki Seo

Abstract

I have lived in Peru for approximately 20 years, devoted to research and the study of prehispanic textiles. Because of the rich heritage and enormous quantity of tangible textile patrimony that exists in this country, I have chosen Peru to be able to pursue several interests. Over time, I worked in different museums, which motivated me to promote the study, understanding and recovery of prehispanic techniques. I proposed to give them life, so that they would be appreciated in these times. Along the way, I have met admirable self-taught persons who come from my country, Japan. This led me to a great challenge.

Each day new publications appear on prehispanic themes, and I must say that today there is considerably more information than there has been in the past; which permits us to learn and to know more about the Andean world. But we must clarify that, in general, they address theory, leaving practices aside.

Without being archaeologists or persons linked to academic discourse on these topics, these persons have achieved truly surprising results, reaching a very high level of skill in the reproduction of complex textiles. By their own initiative and with their own resources, they came to Peru to study, research, and achieve these reproductions. These ladies have the wisdom, competence and support of many decades of research, to be able to provide guidance and instruction on a scientific and academic level. Now, my principal task is to organize courses, in which we count on the valuable contribution of these ladies who are willing to transmit their knowledge, their enthusiasm and their admiration of these textiles with a passion like that of the prehispanic ancestors.