Early Aymara Tunic/Poncho (Kawa Ponchito). Bolivia, Southern Altiplano Region. Late 18th century or before. Size: 34.5 x 54 inches. This Altiplano weaving is in the form of a garment called in Aymara Kawa or tunic. It was intentionally not sewn closed along the sides as were the traditional tunics. These Kawa Ponchitos as they are commonly called are believed to have been made around the time of the Aymara revolt against Spanish rule in 1781. The wearing of tunics was outlawed by the Spanish at that time in an attempt to breakdown the Aymara culture. The field of this textile features the use of two ply, bi-chrome yarns, (chimi in Aymara) made from single red and brown yarns plied together and used as one warp unit. Aymara textiles are four selvaged, warp-faced textiles. The purpose of using chimi yarns is to create a color field, which from a distance, appears to be a shimmering reddish brown color (in this piece) as the eye blends the colors into one. On close inspection the two separate colors become apparent. This is a subtle and very sophisticated method of concocting unique colors which otherwise would not be possible to obtain. Chimi yarns are unique to the Andes and a trademark of antique Aymara textiles. The detail showing a close-up of several tones of cochineal dyed yarns near the edge of the textile illustrates another sophisticated and unique Aymara technique for working with color. The stripes and the herringbone-like patterns seen here are created by using yarns that are spun and plied in opposite directions and used in alternating groups to create subtle stripes. They can be used singly, as alternating warps, to create the herringbone effect. Subtle color variations are seen with the use of lloq'e yarns since the differently spun and plied yarns actually reflect light differently depending on the direction of spin and ply. Oppositely spun yarns (lloq'e) are found only in Andean highland weavings, primarily of the Aymara Indians.