Giulia Dionisio

Keepers of memories. Pre-Columbian Peruvian workbaskets in the Anthropology and Ethnology Museum of Florence

Introduction

Keepers of memories. Pre-columbian peruvian workbaskets in the anthropology and ethnology museum of florence. Explore Pre-Columbian Peruvian workbaskets from the Florence Anthropology and Ethnology Museum. This detailed study analyzes their structure and contents, revealing insights into ancient Andean textile production and burial practices.

Abstract

Pre-Columbian workbaskets were common inside burials, especially in coastal Andean regions. They mostly contained tools and raw materials related to textile production, but there were also some elements (e.g. Spondylus shells) not strictly connected to a practical use. Workbaskets are mentioned in many contributions by scholars and researchers but unfortunately rarely studied in detail. The Pre-Columbian collections housed in the Anthropology and Ethnology Museum in Florence include four Peruvian workbaskets. As no in-depth study has ever been published on them, this contribution aims to provide a detailed analysis of their structure and contents.

Review

The article, "Keepers of memories. Pre-Columbian Peruvian workbaskets in the Anthropology and Ethnology Museum of Florence," proposes a valuable contribution to Andean archaeology. It immediately identifies a crucial gap in current scholarship: while Pre-Columbian workbaskets are frequently encountered in coastal Andean burials and mentioned in literature, they are regrettably seldom subjected to rigorous, detailed study. This paper directly addresses this oversight by focusing on four specific Peruvian workbaskets housed within the Anthropology and Ethnology Museum in Florence, a collection that, according to the authors, has not previously received in-depth scholarly attention. The proposed detailed analysis of these specific artifacts promises significant insights. By meticulously examining the structure and contents of these workbaskets, the research has the potential to shed light on several facets of ancient Peruvian life, including textile production technologies, the types of tools and raw materials utilized, and the organization of craft activities. Furthermore, the abstract’s mention of elements not strictly practical, such as *Spondylus* shells, hints at the possibility of exploring the ritual, social, or symbolic dimensions associated with these objects and their owners. Such focused, object-centric studies are essential for enriching our understanding beyond broad generalizations, providing concrete data from specific museum collections. While the abstract clearly outlines the descriptive goals, the ultimate impact of this work will depend on the depth and interpretive power of the analysis. It would be beneficial for the authors to consider how their findings from the Florence collection might contribute to broader discussions on gender roles, social status, economic networks, or regional variations in craft production across Pre-Columbian Peru. A comparative framework, even if briefly, linking these specific baskets to similar finds documented elsewhere, would further enhance the study's scope and significance. Overall, this research represents a much-needed deep dive into understudied artifacts and is poised to be a significant addition to the field, offering valuable primary data for future scholarship.

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