Beagle Channel in the Patagonia

Beagle Channel in the Patagonia

February 14, 2013

ANDEAN TEXTILES, A BEAUTIFUL ART FROM SPANISH AMERICA



THIS IS A FTSF BLOG HOP CHALLENGE!


That's Finish The Sentence Friday. Every week my Blog group provides an incomplete sentence as a prompt. This week it's "I get so frustrated when..."

And here is my contribution.

I get so frustrated when…. I can’t find good free photos with a Creative Commons License that can be used for my Blog!



My head buzzes with ideas; I don’t think I have yet experienced the famous “writer’s block”.  My problem is not producing ideas, it’s getting everything done and still getting enough sleep for my aged body!


It’s very difficult to find really good illustrations for the contents I write about, so I spend hours searching the web for the right photos. 


I would like to ask my photography friends to be as generous as possible with their photos and to create a CC BY SA License so that we writers can use them in our posts! 


My most recent frustration is related to Andean textiles. There are lots of wonderful photos on the web, but very few can be legally used! It’s such a shame, they are so beautiful! You can see for yourself by reading the following post.




ANDEAN TEXTILES, A BEAUTIFUL ART OF SPANISH AMERICA




The term “Andean culture” is used to refer to the peoples who dwelt and still live in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Northern Argentine and Northern Chile.


Historians generally agree that the earliest artistic productions from this vast area are relatively recent, dating more or less from the first years of our Christian era. By the year 500 AD, they were producing interesting architecture, ceramics and textiles.


Around 500 AD, the great empire of Tiahuanaco began to develop its influence on the highlands around Lake Titicaca and also along the coastal regions. The origins of most of the more spectacular artistic productions are to be found in the development of this vast empire. However, for reasons that are not clear, Tiahuanaco began to disintegrate around the 900s, leaving behind only the traditions of its culture.


The inheritors of these traditions were the Inca, who began their lightening rise to power around the 1100s. In the span of a few generations, the Inca Empire turned itself into a dynasty ruling not only the Andean area, but far more besides. 


The best examples of Andean weaving came out of the Inca period. And they were definitely superb masters of this art. 


MAP OF THE INCAN EMPRIRE




 Source: Manco Capac, CC BY SA 3.0. Wikimedia Commons.




INCAN WEAVING



The looms.




The looms were extremely simple, and were basically of three types:


  • The backstrap loom, in which one end was tied to a tree or pole and the other end was tied to a belt that went round the body of the weaver. The weaver usually sat on the ground to weave. (Also called waist loom)

  • The horizontal loom, in which used wooden supports at each end that were driven into the ground. The weaver usually knelt in front of the loom.

  • The vertical loom in which the top end of the loom hung from a support driven into the wall, and was kept tense by means of weights that hung from the bottom end. The weaver usually worked standing up in front of the loom.


THE BACK STRAP LOOM



Source: n/a, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

The materials




The wool for weaving was (and still is!) obtained from the camelids. The Llama the Alpaca, the Guanaco and the Vicuña each provided wools of different textures and thickness. Many textile designs take advantage of the natural colors of these fibers. The Vicuña is by far the finest, in some cases it can almost gossamer.


The “long threads” called warp threads, were usually made of strong cotton, of the type that grows in the coastal areas of this region.



The Dyes.

 

The Andean people are masters in the production of colors, which they achieved by using elements from their natural habitat. Incredibly, the ancient weavers fully understood the importance of adding a mordant to their coloring process. They used minerals such as silicates and oxides for this purpose.  They also produced variations of a specific color by adding other natural substances and minerals to their mix. These techniques are still used today, although artificial dyes have also been added recently.



The patterns




The designs and patterns are a mixture of elements inspired by nature and also formal symbolic elements that are probably of a religious origin. (The priesthood was very powerful in the Incan culture).


The figures included in the textiles can represent animals such as dogs, llamas and birds, or flowers, or scenery such as the mountains and the rivers that run in deep valleys. There are also scenes from every day life, such as a corn field with the rows of corn plants separated by the fallow ground in between.


There are various web pages that show these beauties, but unfortunately most of the photos are copyrighted. 



ILLUSTRATIONS AND PHOTOS


A LOVELY EXAMPLE OF ANDEAN WEAVING





 Source: n/a, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons


 INCAN TEXTILES ON SALE






Source  :McKay Savage, CC BY SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons



FREQUENTLY USED PATTERS







                

QUECHUA PEOPLE WEARING TRADITIONAL TEXTILES




 Source: Micah MacAllen, CC BY SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons



THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF THEM ALL!




 Source n/a, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons



These are some of the few graphics I was able to find!





SPANISH VERSION

 

(This Blog is bilingual)




En este post retomo el tema de los textiles de la llamada Cultura Andina, pero antes de iniciar el tópico, manifiesto también mi frustración por las dificultades encontradas para ubicar bellas fotos que se presten para ilustrar las riquezas de las artes pre-Hispánicas y que al mismo tiempo sean del Dominio Público o tengan una licencia de Creative Commons, para  así evitar infringir las leyes de los derechos de autor. 



Le pido también a mis amistades internautas actuales y futuras que sean generosos al momento de archivar sus fotografías y que no se olviden de sus amigos escritores que pueden usar sus fotos y darles publicidad, siempre que la licencia así lo permita! (La inscripción en Creative Commons es gratuita!)



Con relación al tema de los textiles de las zonas Andinas, en la web hay bellísimas fotos, pero no las puedo usar por las restricciones antes mencionadas. Las pocas que encontré muestran claramente la extraordinaria belleza de estas creaciones.





LOS TEXTILES ANDINOS, BELLO ARTE DE LA AMERICA HISPANA.




El término “cultura Andina” se usa para denotar  a los pueblos que habitaron y que todavía habitan  en Ecuador, Perú, Bolivia, Chile Norteño y Argentina Norteña.


Los historiadores generalmente concuerdan en que las creaciones artísticas más tempranas de esta vasta área son relativamente recientes, con un inicio en el tiempo que coincide aproximadamente con los albores de nuestra era cristiana. Ya para el 500 AD estaban produciendo interesantes obras en arquitectura, cerámica y textiles.


A partir del 500 AD, el gran imperio de Tiahuanaco comenzó a desarrollar su zona de influencia en las alturas que rodean el extremo sur del Lago Titicaca, extendiéndose luego a las zonas costeras. Las raíces de futuras producciones artísticas maestras se encuentran inmersas en el desarrollo de esta gran cultura. Sin embargo, por razones que no están claras, Tiahuanaco comenzó a decaer a partir del 900 Ad, para finalmente desintegrarse, dejando tras sí solo las tradiciones de su cultura.


Los herederos de estas tradiciones fueron los Inca, quienes comenzaron su meteórica conquista del poder alrededor del 1100 AD. En el intervalo de sólo unas pocas generaciones, el Imperio Inca se transformó en un imperio dinástico que dominó no sólo la zona Andina, sino que se extendió bastante más allá.


Los mejores ejemplos de los textiles Andinos provienen del período Incásico. No hay duda que fueron excelsos maestros en estas artes.



TEJEDURÍA INCÁSICA.



Los Telares.


Los modelo9s de telar son muy simples. Se distinguen tres tipos, a saber:


  • El telar de cintura
  • El telar horizontal
  • El telar vertical


Los materiales.




La lana se obtiene de los camélidos Andinos, esto es: llama, alpaca, guanaco y vicuña. Los hilos de urdimbre son generalmente de algodón, un producto de la zona costera.



Las tinturas.




Los pueblos Andinos son maestros de los procesos de teñido, para lo cual utilizan elementos naturales de su hábitat. Ya desde épocas remotas entendían el uso de mordientes. Para tales efectos usaban minerales tales como silicatos y óxidos. También creaban variaciones sobre los colores iniciales al agregar otros elementos naturales a sus mezclas. Estas técnicas todavía están en uso, aunque en la actualidad han agregado el uso de hilados industriales para sus tejidos.



Los dibujos y diseños.




Son una mezcla de elementos inspirados por la naturaleza que los rodea y de símbolos rituales formales provenientes de las prácticas religiosas. (Los sacerdotes ostentaban mucho poder en la cultura Incásica).


Las figuras usadas en los tejidos pueden representar animales tales como perros, llamas o pájaros; también flores o elementos geográficos como las montañas o los ríos que corren en las profundas quebradas. También se incluyen escenas de la vida diaria, como por ejemplo un sembradío de maíz, con las hileras de plantas separadas por los pasillos intermedios entre hileras.


Hay varias páginas en Internet que muestran estas bellezas, pero lamentablemente están todas afectas a los derechos de autor.


Las fotos incluidas en este post, son algunas de las pocas que encontré.



More about similar topics in a future post.      Más sobre temas similares en un próximo post.




LANGUAGE TIPS FOR ENGLISH



Words that go together!  * Get the message   - * Go overseas     - * Come on time    - * Go fishing    – * Close a deal  





LANGUAGE TIPS FOR SPANISH.



Expresiones de uso frecuente: * Lágrimas de cocodrilo - * Llevar la voz cantante   - * Más vale tarde que nunca 




How is your level of comprehension?     ¿Cómo está su nivel de comprensión?





© 2012  joanveronica  (Joan Robertson)





I will be very happy to receive your comments! Just click the word “comments” lower down.
 



16 comments:

  1. This is something that can frustrate me at times, too. I have a lot of inspiration with photos for my blogs with my family, but still there are times when I am looking for something specific, but still have trouble finding it. I also don't seem to run out of ideas, but still need to keep my energy levels up to keep up. Really can relate to your frustrations Joan and thank you a ton as always for linking up with us!! :)

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    1. Hi Janine, this was certainly quick! So happy to receive your visit and comment! You are lucky in your family photos, but mine are all from the web! It takes some doing, I can tell you! Still, I will persevere! See you around soon!

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  2. Thanks for linking up with #FTSF this week! I love the pictures that I have seen on your blog, so you're doing great at finding some good ones. I have not used too many pictures yet on my blog, but the number has been creeping up! Hope to see you again next week.

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    1. Hi Dawn so nice to receive your visit and comment! I'm glad you like the photos, but they take eons to find! I have some ideas about ways to contact web owners, but I still have to work on this idea a bit more. We'll see how it works! See you soon!

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  3. Wonderful! Oh and besides Wikimedia, check Flickr Commons. They have a lot of great photos you can use for free and I've even listed some of my photos as CC over there. :)
    Awesome post!

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    1. Hi Cyndi, so happy to have you visit, I know your project consumes most of your would-be online time. Thanks for the tip about Flickr. I have used them, but always throughh Creative Commons, and the Flickr page invariabley says they can't find it, they don't go in for searches. I have found them when looking through Google, but it takes an age! But I will persevere! Thanks again for your support and have a good day!

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  4. Joan - I just post two sites on FB yesterday where you can get generic photos. Freestockimages.com and of course, Microsoft images both have much to offer. Yet, there are times I go to Wikipedia.commons and use according to license requirements. Hope that helps. As far as the actual blog is concerned, those are some amazing patterns. I'd be completely lost attempting to do something like that. And, you call the loom simple? I'd hate to see a complicated one! lol Great job!

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    1. Hi Rich, many thanks for the visit and the comment. And especially for the tips on pages with photos. I will look them up this weekend! Most of my photos are from Wikipedia, I usually start there, search everywhere else (almost) and end up back at Wikipedia! About the loom, it is the simplest of the lot, they do most of the work with their fingers! It is really incredible, I've watched videos, and it's difficult to even catch the movements. Those are really first class crafts persons! So, see you around!

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  5. When I see something I like but am not sure if I can use it, I'll write the blog and ask if I can use it with a link back to them. Most people are thrilled to have some free advertising.

    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com

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    1. Hi Joyce, so happy to have you visit and to leave this tip for me! I've tried this, but I never thought of the link back, that's a good idea, thank you! See you!

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  6. This is a great post! I know that anything on Wikimedia Commons can be used free and clear... I use them sometimes, but I still put the source underneath if I do. :)

    I'm visiting today from Thursday's Favorite Things.

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    1. Hi there, many thanks for your visit and the comment! And yes, I use Wikimedia Commons too, but they don't have a great variety of photos for these topics. That's a severe handicap, so I'm contacting blogs that sell this kind of craft, for permission. I've had some positive answers, so I'm happier now!

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  7. Very educational! Found your post on Thursday Favorite Things! I would love to have you share this on The Creative HomeAcre Hop today :)
    http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/2013/02/the-creative-homeacre-hop-4.html

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    1. Hi Lisa Lynn, so nice to have you visit my blog! And happier still that you likle the contents! I will check out your Blog Hop at once! Have a good day!

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  8. Thanks so much for sharing this on The Creative HomeAcre! I can't wait to see what you share next time at...
    http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/2013/02/the-creative-homeacre-hop-5.html

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    1. Hi Lisa. so happy to receive your comment, and thank YOU for the invite! See you!

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