Welcome to MONAH’s artifact blog, where we get up close and personal with our permanent collection!
Explore intricately woven bags that hold a special significance in Andean culture, both in the past and present. They are traditionally called Chuspas, but widely known as Coca bags because of their use. Coca bags existed in ancient Andean societies to carry leaves from the coca plant, which were used for medicinal and ritualistic purposes.
Read MoreTextiles in the ancient Andes are saturated with meaning and symbolism. The textile fragments in our collection come from the Chancay culture dating from A.D. 1100 to A.D. 1450 found in central coast valleys of present-day Peru.
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Archaeologists estimate that dogs have been domesticated for over 10,000 years, with evidence in the archaeological record indicating domesticated dogs have existed in the southwestern region of Mexico for at least 3,000 years. Ceramic effigies, or representations, of Xoloitzcuintle, more commonly referred to as Xolo, or Mexican Hairless, have been found across the region.
