Chincha Plain-Weave Cloths

O‘Neale, Lila M. (Lila Morris), 1886-1948Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 51K words
Chapters: 6

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Chincha Plain-Weave Cloths by Lila M. O'NealeAuthor: O'Neale, Lila M. (Lila Morris), 1886-1948,Language: English, Class: E011: History: America: America, Release Date: Mar 19, 2013

Editor's review

This book is a specialized study in archaeology and textile history focusing on plain-weave cloths from the Chincha region. Drawing on direct observation of specimens, Lila M. O'Neale describes in detail the structural organization, weaving techniques, and classificatory features of the cloths, exemplifying the empirical style of mid-twentieth-century material-culture research. Its value lies not in grand theoretical construction but in the technical details and terminology it provides for comparison, making it a useful reference for research on Andean textile traditions, museum cataloguing, and the analysis of excavated textiles. Because the original is in English and the book is early, the prose has the concision and terminological density of a scholarly report, and reading requires some background in textiles or archaeology. It is suited to consultation as specialized literature rather than as a general reader. The electronic edition, released via Project Gutenberg, is easy to search and excerpt, making it suitable for researchers reading by chapter.

Who it's for

A good fit for

University faculty, students, and researchers in Andean archaeology or textile history
Museum professionals involved in cataloguing and caring for textile collections
Enthusiasts with a foundation in ancient textile technology and material-culture research
Researchers needing the original English text for specialized comparison

Not a good fit for

General readers seeking accessible popular science or illustrated guides
Beginners lacking textile terminology who are unwilling to look up technical terms
Readers expecting a complete historical narrative or sociocultural analysis

Reading tips

Read the introduction and conclusion first to grasp the research questions and classificatory framework, then move on to the specific cloth descriptions.
Keep weave diagrams and a glossary at hand, comparing them with specimen images or collection records as you read.
Excerpt key classification criteria by theme for cross-comparison with other Andean textile studies.
Read the English original slowly with a specialized dictionary; there is no need to read every sentence—consult chapters as needed.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book suitable for readers without an archaeology background?

Not really. It is a specialized research report that assumes familiarity with textile terminology and basic methods of analyzing archaeological specimens. Without any relevant background, readers will frequently encounter obstacles in weave names and technical descriptions; it is advisable to first build up introductory material on Andean archaeology or textile basics before attempting it.

What should I keep in mind when reading the electronic edition?

This is an English electronic edition released by Project Gutenberg. Reading software with full-text search is recommended for locating terms or chapters. As the original is early, terminology spellings and conventions may differ from contemporary publications; unfamiliar words can be judged from context and specialized dictionaries.

Do the book's textile classification methods still have reference value today?

As the product of early empirical research, its classificatory framework and descriptive terminology can still be used as comparative material, especially when set against museum collections or newly excavated textiles. Note, however, that later research may have revised some terms and classification standards; it should be consulted alongside contemporary literature and not relied on alone as the sole basis.

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About the author

O‘Neale, Lila M. (Lila Morris), 1886-1948 Author · American · 1886–1948

Lila M. O‘Neale (1886–1948) was an American anthropologist and historian of textiles who taught for many years at the University of California, Berkeley, and studied Andean and Maya textiles. She focused on the structure and technology of fabrics, working from basic weaves such as plain weave to distinguish differences in material, density, and technique, and using these to discuss production traditions and everyday cloth in ancient Andean society. Her representative work, Chincha Plain-Weave Cloths, offers a detailed analysis of plain-weave textiles from the Chincha region of Peru. Public information is limited, and little is known of the details of her life and scholarly connections, yet her attention to technical detail in fabrics remains useful to textile archaeology and material culture studies.