One hundred twelve cloths in the plain-weave group were measured. Because some of the specimens could not be placed under tension, the forefinger was drawn along the cloth beside a steel tape to smooth out wrinkles. Measurements taken by this method approximate those on a cloth stretched between the bars of a loom.

Lengths

Complete dimensions can be taken on eighteen Chincha specimens in lots 4- and 16-. As figures 1 and 2 show, these dimensions cluster around two sets of proportions: the eleven cloths represented in the diagram in figure 1 are squarish; the seven in figure 2, with a length-to-width proportion of approximately two-to-three to one, are rectangular. Four of the squarish cloths are formed of two separately woven breadths of material. All the rectangular cloths are single breadths.

Measurements of these specimens with complete dimensions are given below under the two classifications.

From the twenty Chincha plain-weave cloths with intact lengths (fig. 4) it is possible to know (1) that the cloths were woven by methods standard among the ancient Peruvians; (2) that each breadth represents a separate warping operation which established its ultimate length; (3) that each breadth was made singly on the loom. The evidence for such procedures and the identifying features of the end selvages on Peruvian cloths are to be recognized in the continuous thread which forms the warp skein—in contradistinction to cut ends of warps—and in the presence of two or more heavy wefts, the first ones put across the web. The cords binding the end loops of the warp skein to the loom bars hold the first of these loomstring wefts, as they are called, to the bars. The two or more succeeding wefts, which are interlaced with the warps, establish the width of the piece and give it a certain firmness. On the ends of some cloths the strand of cord for loomstrings was long enough to carry across the web only twice. In the majority of our plain-weave cloths it was carried across three times; in over a fifth of the total number of intact ends in the 16- lot the loomstring carried across four times. The frequencies of two, three, and four loomstrings at the ends of webs in this group are approximately as 6:32:16. A number of these occurrences are on cloths in which the heavy cord is not long enough to make a complete crossing; the remainder of the breadth is completed with weft of the size used for the regular weaving.

In the Chincha 4- lot, loomstrings of from 2- to 12-ply formed the weft for from two to six courses of weaving. In seven of the twenty-four specimens showing finished ends, the loomstring stopped partway across its course in the web and was there joined to the regular weft yarn. In two the joining was effected by finger knots, in the other by splicing (?). The two specimens (4-3889c and 4-4029) having strong 12-ply loomstrings were small but complete cloths which had been doubled and stitched along the sides to form bags. The loomstrings thus served to reinforce the open mouth of the bag.

In eleven specimens the loomstrings had an initial S and final Z twist; twelve show the opposite combination. In one specimen (4-4056) the separate plies have an S twist, but the final yarn is untwisted.

Complete lengths of Chincha plain-weave cloths in order from shortest to longest:

Ninety-odd of the measured cloths are incomplete as to length. These preserved lengths fall within arbitrary groupings as follows:

Widths

There are three times as many weavings with complete widths as with complete lengths; 60 as compared to 20. Clues to the wrappings or blankets of which these breadths were sections are frequently furnished by traces of stitchery and broken threads on the side selvages. As shown by table 2 and figure 3, the five narrowest complete breadths (Group 1) are within a range of 4 to 12 inches. Narrow widths can be woven most rapidly on the backstrap loom. Complete breadths in Group 2 (18 specimens) fall within the range of 14 to 20 inches. These widths, also, can be woven without much effort. Seaming together narrow breadths appears to have been preferred to weaving wider ones equal to the two or three which compose some of the rectangular specimens.

Table 2

Frequencies of Complete Width Measurements

Group 3, as listed in table 2, comprises breadths falling within a range of 21 inches through 29 inches. These widths reduce weaving speed and bring about problems in manipulation of the loom parts. The twelve widest complete breadths in the Chincha lot range from 30 inches to 35 inches with a single specimen measuring 41 inches. For this last piece, and possibly for several of the narrower ones in the same group, a two-bar loom not attached to the weaver's waist seems indicated.

Complete widths of Chincha plain-weave fabrics in order from narrowest to widest:

Seventy-odd individually woven breadths of material are incomplete as to width. The arbitrary groupings in which these fall are as follows:

Side selvages strengthened by any one of the several methods we know from commercial weavings are rare in textiles from primitive looms. It is not uncommon, however, to find four or five edge yarns drawn more closely together than are the others in the web. Familiarity with these two facts made our discovery of a unique selvage finish a matter of unusual interest. The edges of specimens 16-1228 and 16-1236 have been reinforced by two stitchery techniques. Plate 8,i shows the ordinary whipping stitches which form the foundation for the second technique. Plate 8,h shows this second line of work to consist of a double strand twined, but always from back to front, with the tops of the whipping stitches.

On one of the Chincha 4- specimens (4-4068a) the half-inch selvage is distinguished from the body of the fabric by the use of warp yarns lighter in color than those appearing in the body of the fabric and by the two-over-one weave of the right-hand selvage in contrast to the one-over-one weave found elsewhere in the fabric. In specimen 4-4027 the edges are strengthened on each side for some six inches of the length by a single heavy 4-ply warp unit.

In the Chincha 4- specimens, where congestion of edge yarns occurs, its extent in from the edge varies from 5 threads (in 3 specimens) to 24 threads (1 specimen); in the majority of these specimens, the congestion ranges from 6 to 12 threads (8 specimens). Textures in plate 4,a, c are comparable to those in which maximum congestion occurs.