Fragment of a tunic

The main field of this panel depicts bird and feather motifs grouped within stepped frets, with fish in the border. Imbued with spiritual and ritual meaning, fish and feathers were common offerings to ancient Andean deities. As a coastal culture, Peruvian civilization embraced marine life in many forms, especially the abundance the ocean provided as a source of food. Additionally, and somewhat paradoxically, the ocean was viewed as an underworld. Birds also played a prominent role in Andean culture as they could travel between the earth, sky, and underworld, acting as intermediaries between humans and supernatural worlds.