Moche-Wari

The Moche-Wari artistic tradition was active circa 500, distinguished primarily through its creation of elaborate fiber arts and textiles. While the full scope of their production is unknown, five key textile works are documented in major museum holdings, establishing the historical importance of the culture’s output.

These documented pieces, preserved as museum-quality artifacts, include Border (From a Garment) and Fragment (Band), alongside three additional textiles cataloged simply as Fragment. The focus on functional and highly decorative cloth demonstrates a mastery of weaving techniques prevalent during this period. The works held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago ensure ongoing scholarly access to these examples. Today, high-quality prints of many such ancient artifacts are available as downloadable artwork for educational and research purposes.