Peruvian Frazada Rug in Intihuana

This vintage frazada is approximately 60 years old. It was handmade by artisans in the Andean highlands of Cusco Peru to tell the story of the Intihuatana, or solar clock.  Intihuatana is a ritual stone in South America associated with the astronomic clock or calendar of the Inca. The most famous Intihuatana is an archaeological site located at Machu Picchu.  The Intuhuana story is told by this frazada's artisan in it's symbols and patterns: It is filled with diamonds enclosed by other diamonds and then on one side there are "cardinal sides" to look north, south, east and west through. When the sun hits it, located at the top of the sacred mountain, it is a wonder of ancient technology, telling when it was the time to celebrate the winter solstice and the other seasons.  Traditional frazadas are woven on a backstrap loom, over the course of 1-3 months. They are made in 2 panels that are then stitched together to form the frazada. All natural, made with sheep's and alpaca wool, they ar