This week’s Nalbound Object of the Week is a Chancay culture doll from Peru. The Chancay culture isn’t well known, but there is a known tradition of burial dolls. I first ran across this type of doll in 2019 while in the UK to examine other nalbound objects.
Some sources in which more information can be found:
Photographs: There are two additional photos on the British Museum’s website.
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Continuing with another African Nalbound Object of the Week, this stunning nkutu (prestige cape) comes from mid-19th century Congo. While the tradition of net-like garments being worn by high ranking individuals is believed to have its roots in at least the 16th century, we currently only have evidence of this style of nkutu/kinzembe/zamba kya mfumu from the 19th century.1 There are quite a few examples in museums around the world; including several others in The British Museum.2
Description: A beautiful prestige cape made from raffia palm fiber. This cape has openwork that forms several undulating chevrons. Close examination shows that the individual lengths of fiber were knotted to the previous as each new length was added to continue the nalbinding. There is a cut and bound slit in the middle for the head. The outer edge has raffia fringe knotted on. Length: 79 cm, Width: 125 cm3
Stitch(es) used: The museum catalog states it is an “Interlinked structure arranged in narrow bands with worked holes throughout.”8 The catalog also references a publication where it states the cape was made “using a form of interlinking (sprang).”9 Interlinking is a structural term, not a technique. Sprang can use interlinking (amongst other structures), but so can other techniques. In this case, the nalbinding stitch used does not just intralace once with the previous stitches in the same row as in many spiraled nalbinding stitches. Instead, this stitch intralaces and interlinks several times with each previous stitch before crossing itself to proceed to the next stitch.
The beautiful zoomable photographs in the The British Museum’s online catalog show that this cape was nalbound in the same stitch as that found in the Kongalese Prestige Cape that is in The Textile Museum that was February 13, 2024’s Nalbound Object of the Week: B1 UU/OO/UU/OOU as determined by Anne Marie Decker during her examination on 14 June 2023.
Please note that sharing to other venues will likely be intermittent. If you wish to receive these each week, please remember to follow the blog. Patrons on Patreon receive early access previews, occasional extra details, and priority requests.
