The Colors Of Pre-Hispanic Textiles From Cemeteries In The Quillagua And San Pedro De Atacama Oases Of Northern Chile

Few sources of red (anthraquinoids) and blue (indigoids) dyes were used in pre-Hispanic textiles from different cultures, periods, and areas in the South-Central Andes. Yellow dyes have been shown to be mainly flavonoids. Since flavonoids exhibit wide color variations, ample distribution dependent on biogeographical region, and species-specific patterns, color variation in yellow-dyed textiles and sources of yellow dyes are predicted to be higher in relation to red- and blue-colored textiles. The study of textile colors, in particular the comparison between yellow and other colors, should shed light on the relationship of people with the environment and on the processes of selection of sources of raw materials for textiles. Colorimetric data in the CIELAB three-dimensional space were obtained of yarns sampled from pre-Hispanic textiles from San Pedro de Atacama (37 textiles, 79 yarns of different colors) and Quillagua (41 textiles, 95 yarns of different colors), two archeological areas in Northern Chile sustaining different plant communities. The textiles were assigned to different styles (hence to different biogeographical regions). The results showed that the degree of dispersion of colorimetric data was larger in red than in blue yarns, and did not differ between any other pair of colors, and that the degree of dispersion of colorimetric data of yarns from textiles of different styles differed significantly within yellow yarns but not within yarns of other colors. These results are discussed in terms of the nature, variety, and sources of the dyes involved and reveal the use of a limited number of yellow dyes in Northern Chile.