#alpaca

SCULPTURE GARDEN // Molly Mendoza

Sumi ink, gouache, gel pen on 7x10” Arches

Thespian - Grimshire

Grimshire is out now in Early Access!! [HERE] I am extremely grateful and immensely proud to share that I was the character portrait artist for the game (I drew the faces you see during character dialogue)! I'll be celebrating by posting more fan art and fan trades for this game I'm already completely addicted to!~

Logan sneaks off to serenade his flock of alpheep. The self-proclaimed "Critter Groomer Extraordinaire" is also quite keen on the theatrical arts!

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Above: four-cornered hats made by the Wari Empire of Peru (top) and the Tiwanaku culture of Bolivia (bottom) during the 7th-9th centuries CE

Often referred to as "four-cornered hats," caps of this style were widely produced by the ancient Wari and Tiwanaku cultures, located in what is now Peru, Bolivia, and Chile.

According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art:

Finely woven, brightly colored hats, customarily featuring a square crown, four sides, and four pointed tips, are most frequently associated with two ancient cultures of the Andes: the Wari and the Tiwanaku. The Wari Empire dominated the south-central highlands and the west coastal regions of what is now Peru from 500–1000 A.D. The Tiwanaku occupied the altiplano (high plain) directly south of Wari-populated areas around the same time, including territory now part of the modern country of Bolivia.

Above: pair of four-cornered hats made by the Wari people of Peru, c.600-900 CE

Both cultures used the hair of local camelids (i.e. llamas, alpacas, or vicuñas) to produce their hats. The hair was harvested, crafted into yarn, and treated with colorful dyes, and the finished yarn was then woven and/or knotted into caps and other textiles. Four-cornered hats from both cultures were often decorated with similar stylistic elements, including geometric patterns (particularly diamonds, crosses, and stepped triangles) and depictions of zoomorphic figures such as birds, lizards, and llamas with wings.

Above: four-cornered hats made by the Tiwanaku people of Bolivia, c.600-900 CE

The two cultures used different techniques to construct/assemble their hats, however:

Although they shared certain technological traditions, such as complex tapestry weaving and knotting techniques, the Wari and the Tiwanaku utilized significantly different construction methods to create four-cornered hats. Wari artists typically fashioned the top and corner peaks as separate parts and later assembled them together. Tiwanaku artists generally knotted from the top down, starting with the top and four peaks, to create a single piece.

Above: a four-cornered hat from Bolivia or Peru, made by either the Tiwanaku or Wari culture, c.500-900 CE

There is evidence to suggest that four-cornered hats were often worn as part of daily life, as this publication explains:

Many have indelible marks of hard usage: wear along the edges and folds, a crusting of hair oil on the inside, remnants of broken chin ties, and ancient mends.

Above: a pair of hats made by the Wari culture of Peru, c.600-800 CE

Above: more hats from the Wari culture of Peru, c.700-900 CE, with colorful tassels decorating the four peaks of each cap

The oldest known/surviving examples of the Andean four-cornered hat date back to nearly 1,700 years ago. They began to appear along the northern coast of Chile at some point during the 4th century CE; these early hats had an elongated design with four short peaks, and they are typically associated with the Tiwanaku culture.

Above: this early example of a four-cornered hat was created by the Tiwanaku culture between 300-700 CE

Why indigenous artifacts should be returned to indigenous cultures.

Sources & More Info:

Metropolitan Museum of Art: Four-Cornered Hats 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12

Museum Publication: Andean Four-Cornered Hats (PDF available here)

Emory University: Four-Cornered Pile Hat

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my Dandelion Doodles! (also sorry if my doodles might be late this month, the busy season has begun, but I’ll do my best)

1. Unique Antibody from Camels and Alpacas Could Be Used to Treat Alzheimer’s

“An antibody-like compound known on land to be exclusively to be found in camelids like alpacas, lamas, and dromedaries, could be used to treat human brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study. [...] In previous studies, the team has shown that nanobodies can restore behavioral deficits in mouse models of schizophrenia and other neurologic conditions. [... The team] has recently shown that conditions of treatment are compatible with chronic treatment.”

2. National Zoo reveals elephant is expecting a calf, first elephant to be born there in 25 years

“The zoo says 12-year-old Nhi Linh will welcome her first baby sometime this winter, [... which] marks a landmark moment for Asian elephants, an endangered species with an estimated number of fewer than 50,000 living in the wild. [Zoo staff] teach the elephants to voluntarily take part in the care they receive[, which] “allows us to do everything from skin care, tooth care, the ultrasounds[....]””

3. COP30 Recognized the Role of Forests and Nature in Addressing the Climate Crisis

“World leaders announced nearly $7 billion in support for the Tropical Forests Forever Facility[....] Fifteen governments announced support for the Intergovernmental Land Tenure Commitment to secure and strengthen land tenure rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities[....] Outside the formal decisions, the Brazilian Presidency committed to delivering roadmaps on efforts to halt and reverse deforestation and to transition to clean energy[....]”

4. Connecticut’s pioneering model for publicly owned, small-scale solar

“The more than $100,000 in projected annual energy savings from the solar systems at seven municipal buildings, including six schools, helped [Manchester] gain confidence in moving forward with a subsequent project that has converted one of its elementary schools into the state’s first net-zero school by adding advanced insulation systems and on-site geothermal energy[....]”

5. How community custody empowered Ecuador’s crab catchers and revived its mangroves

“The fishers can catch crabs to sell, but are committed to the protection of this valuable ecosystem, imposing closed seasons twice a year and refraining from catching female and juvenile crabs. [...] Experts say this program is the reason that mangroves have remained almost intact during this century in Ecuador: putting these communities in charge of mangrove forests generates a sense of belonging and, therefore, a strong desire to protect them.”