Chuspa with designs of crosses and stars

Bags, also called chuspas, possibly had the same function that pockets in clothing have today. The identification of these objects in ceramic representations, however, associate these bags with a ceremonial purpose related to the transportation and intake of coca leaves. The uniqueness of this piece lies in its fine weave and the two bodies that make it up, a braided tapestry as main support, and a lower section of decorative function produced in needle weave, from where a pattern of fringes and two tassels emerge. Chuspas like this may have been produced as offerings for the funerary paraphernalia dedicated to members of the Inca elite. (CP)