Tupu
Pre-Colombian, Andean
Ca. Middle Horizon (around 600 A.D.)-Late Horizon (c.1475-1532)
Peruvian
Bone
Gift of Mrs. George D. Pratt
AC M.1940.4
The artifact is a tupu, the Incan version of a modern shawl pin. A tupu is a long pin often
with a decorative head, used by Andean women to fasten a lliclla. A lliclla is a shawl,
which can also be referred to as lliqlla or lliklla. The shawl is pinned in the front with a
tupu. This specific tupu is made of bone, which can only be seen after the pattern ends,
and has a decorative bird at its top. Other tupus were also be made with silver, gold,
copper, and copper alloys. The composition of this particular piece, as well as its
pattern scheme and decorative top, reveal that it was most likely made during the mid
to Late Horizon period (600-1532 A.D.) Because of its decorative design a woman of high
social position, such as priestess, may have worn this tupu. Based on similar
archeological findings, it can be concluded that this tupu was from the Moche, Chimu, or
Chancay civilizations, although the exact civilization cannot be identified due to the
conquest and fighting amongst them.
Women wore tupus to fasten their shawls in the front, keeping them secure on their
shoulders. The more elaborate the decoration at the top, the higher position or standing
the woman wearing it had. Tupus can have circular heads, which indicates that this
particular one could have belonged to a woman of higher standing because of its
decorative top. They can be found throughout the central Andean area during the
Middle Horizon, and were commonly used by the Incas. In fact, tupus continue to be
used in many Andean regions to this day. Throughout the Incan reign in the Andes,
tupus were most commonly made of bone because of its ease. Sometimes though, they
were made of silver and gold. These tupus look like modern-day shawl pins made of
copper and are pre-columbian versions to the broche used today. One could look to the
present-day broche or shawl pins to see how their construction is immensely similar to
the methods the Incas used hundreds of years ago.
It is surprising that this tupu survived the centuries. Due to the commonly poor
preservation of artifacts as a result of the moist climate of the tropical lowlands, it is our
good fortune to have it in the collection.
Written by Jordan Roehl & Sean Legister, Class of 2011
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