Pre-Columbian Nazca textile sling (huaraca), Peru, ca. 200 BCE–600 CE. Finely woven from camelid fiber with a split pouch and braided cords in natural brown and tan tones. Slings were used throughout the ancient Andes for hunting, warfare, and ceremonial purposes. Well-preserved example displaying excellent craftsmanship and intricate weaving. Ancient textiles of this quality are increasingly difficult to find due to the fragile nature of organic materials.

Provenance: Ex Ted Bailey Collection; formerly the Foliophiles Collection. Acquired from Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, 1965. The Textile Museum, Washington, D.C.