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Source Description
This piece, with no figurative imagery, is similar to Aymara textiles of Bolivia, which are often dominated by the contrast of broad and narrow stripes across traditional tunics and other garments. This piece clearly highlights its functional use: the heighten the hunger-dulling and anti-fatigue effects of the coca leaves, they are often chewed with a bit of llipta, a mixture of lime (calcium carbonate) and ash, which may be stored with leaves in a separate pocket of the ch'uspa. As this pouch is divided into three compartments, it could have held both materials easily. When the owner felt tired, he could wrap leaves around the lime and put the bundle into his cheek. Over time, enzymes in his saliva would help the coca's narcotic compounds to be slowly released.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
85467
label
""Ch'uspa"" (Coca Leaf Bag)
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
2
Source metadata
id
85467
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
""Ch'uspa"" (Coca Leaf Bag)
description
This piece, with no figurative imagery, is similar to Aymara textiles of Bolivia, which are often dominated by the contrast of broad and narrow stripes across traditional tunics and other garments. This piece clearly highlights its functional use: the heighten the hunger-dulling and anti-fatigue effects of the coca leaves, they are often chewed with a bit of llipta, a mixture of lime (calcium carbonate) and ash, which may be stored with leaves in a separate pocket of the ch'uspa. As this pouch is divided into three compartments, it could have held both materials easily. When the owner felt tired, he could wrap leaves around the lime and put the bundle into his cheek. Over time, enzymes in his saliva would help the coca's narcotic compounds to be slowly released.
provenance
Purchased by Georgia de Havenon, New York; given to Walters Art Museum, 2016.
date
19th century
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
bags (containers)
imageCount
2
pageCount
2
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
16.5
height
13
dimensionsRaw
Overall: L: 6 1/2 × W: 5 1/8 in. (16.5 × 13 cm)
Source extras
cul
Inca Aymara (?)
style
Aymará
med
camelid fibers
creator_ids
33118
2768
collection_ids
AME
exhibition_ids
none
Page inventory
seq
1
type
photo
mediaId
765cc96cbdb6d6fb
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
2
type
photo
mediaId
4e155cdd566ac522
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no