Reconstructing Ancient Technology:

The analysis of Pre-Columbian

Ecuadorian Textiles

Project Objective

• To uncover aspects of the Guangala culture through analysis of textile impressions on pottery sherds.

Introduction

• The people of the Guangala region lived between 500 BC and AD 800– Southwest Coastal

Ecuador– No recorded history– Left artifacts with textile

imprints

Background Information:Culture

• Textiles played central role in pre-colonial South American cultures.

• Textiles often showed status, identity, and had ceremonial implications.

Mummy from Paracas, Peru

The Guangala (500 BC – AD 800)

• No evidence of any social stratification.

• Communities simply organized.

• Evidence that they were long-distance traders.

• Not definitively tied to any modern culture.

Textiles and Ceramics in the Guangala

• The Guangala also used textiles in ceramics.

• Textiles were usually recycled textiles, not textiles made specifically for ceramic production.

Background Information: Textiles

• Important component of Textiles:

Warp and Weft

Types of Plain Simple Weaves

BalancedBalanced

Weft-facedWeft-faced

Warp-faced

Textile Characteristics to Find

• Number of threads in the warp and the weft

• Type of weave• The fiber type• Thread diameter• Number of threads

per centimeter• Regularity

Method

• Artifacts vs. experimental molds

• Negative to positive images

Observation Techniques

• Photography• Light microscope• SEM

Experimental

• These are modern textiles of known material and technological processes.

• Compared to artifacts.

Cotton Saddlebag

Cotton Towel

Sheep Wool Bag

Cabuya Coaster

Cabuya Purse

Alpaca Poncho

The Artifacts

• Artifacts range from Early Guangala (Artifact 5) to Late Guangala (Artifacts 1 and 3).

• From El Azúcar Valley – varied sites.

Artifact 1

Artifact 1 - Cast

Excavated Floor

Artifact 2

Artifact 3

Artifact 3 - Cast

Artifact 4

Artifact 4- Impression

Artifact 4 - Cast

Above: Weft dominant

Below: Warp dominant

Above: Artifact cast

Below: Alpaca poncho

Artifact 5-Artifact 5-Artifact, Artifact, CastsCasts

Artifact 5 Side ASimple Plain Balanced

Superimposed

Conclusion• Hypothesis: Balanced Plain Weaves,

irregularities, worn-down textiles• Actual: complex weaves with evidence of

designs and color schemes• Conclusion: Sophisticated and Skilled• Alpaca fibers found although evidence

suggests that there were no llamas on the coast

• Trading System and Economic System

Artifact Warp Weft Weave

type

Spin Fiber Type

Thread Diameter (mm)

Threads Per cm

Regularity

1 Ind. Ind. Ind. ------- Ind. 1.5 6 Slight variation

2 (green)

1 thick, 2 thin, repeating pattern

Double Balanced plain

------- Cotton (tentative)

.25 (thick)

.2 (thin)

12 warp

16 weft

Slight variation, no knobs

2 (yellow)

Ind. Ind. Plain (loose) ------- Ind. .1-.4 10 warp

14 weft

Irregular spacing/ diameter

3 Single Single Balanced Plain

------- Alpaca (tentative)

.5 11 Fairly regular, gradually loosening

4 Single Single Warp/weft (?) -faced plain

------- Alpaca (tentative)

.8 8 Balanced

5A Single Single Balanced plain

------- Ind. .2 12 Slight variation, no knobs

5B Ind. Ind. Intricate and inconsistent

------- Ind. .2 12 one way, 20 the other

Acknowledgments

• Thank you Dr. Masucci for your guidance and support as our project leader. Thanks especially for the food!!!

• Thank you Danielle for your long hours of patience and dedication and for just being cool. Cabooyah!

• Thank you Dr. Miyamoto for everything.

Works Consulted• [1] Masucci, Maria. Introductory Speech. New Jersey Governor’s School in the

Sciences. Hall of Sciences, Drew University, New Jersey. July 2006• [2] Boytner, Ran. 2004. Clothing the Social World. In Andean Archaeology,

edited by Helene Silverman, pp. 130-145. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing• [3] Bruhns, Karen Olsen. The Story of a Sherd: The Second Oldest Textile in

Ecuador. 12 July 2006 <http://username.sfsu.edu/~kbruhns/textile.html>• [4] Stothert, Karen E., Kathleen A Epstein, Thomas R. Cummins and Maritza

Freire. “Reconstructing Prehistoric Textile and Ceramic Technology From Impressions of Cloth in Figurines From Ecuador.” Materials, Research Society, Symposium Proceedings., Vol. 185 (1991) pp. 767-776.

• [5] Emery, Irene. The Primary Structures of Fabrics. The Textile Museum, Washington D.C.: 1966. p.10.

• [6] Doyon-Bernard, Suzette J. La Florida’s Mortuary Textiles: The Oldest Extant Textiles From Ecuador. The Textile Museum, Washington D.C.: 1993-1994. pp. 82-102.

• [7] Parker, JH and KE Stothert. Weaving a Cotton Saddlebag on the Santa Elena Peninsula of Ecuador. The Textile Museum Journal 1983; Vol. 22: pp.19-32.

• [8] Rowe, Sarah Marie. Symbolic Function and Social Design: Analysis of Guangala Polychrome Ceramics from Coastal Ecuador. A Thesis in Anthropology, Drew University, New Jersey. May 2003.

• [9] Bruhns, Karen Olsen. Ecuador’s Second Oldest Textile. The Textile Museum Journal 2001-2002. pp. 119-125.