Warrior Fragments

Although small in scale, these figures--likely fragments from a border attached to the edge of a solid-colored plain woven textile--potently convey the Nazca worldview. All but one appears as a warrior in elaborate costume. The unadorned figure wears only a loincloth and has an inverted head and partially exposed ribcage, details that indicate that he is a captive intended for sacrifice. The Nazca offered blood, the most sacred substance of life, to honor the supernatural forces governing the natural world, thus insuring good weather and a good harvest.