Symbolism and meaning

The Contemporary Tapestry Movement is contemporary in style, but very ancient in symbolism and meaning. Surco Tapestry Art draws on profound meanings expressed in the highly developed cultures of the Chavin, the Chankas, the Paracas, the Nazca, the Huari and the Tihuanacos.

Basically, the Inca integrated many ancient tribal civilizations into their reign. All of them had their specific symbols and meanings, and all contribute to the contemporary textile designs of Surco Tapestry Art. So, if you would like to ‘read’ our designs, here are some frequently used symbols.

The Sun and the Moon

Most important in the Andean cosmovision, as in other ancient cultures like the Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Chinese, are the Sun and the Moon.

Father Sun, or Inti Tayta in Quechua, is the source of life to all created beings. It is portrayed as a golden disc, a circle, and related to the masculine energy in the universe. This profoundly meaningful symbol also refers to eternity and the life of the human soul.

Father Sun is often accompanied by Mama Killa, Mother Moon. The Moon, reflecting the light of the Sun, is related to the feminine, receptive energy in the universe and is symbolized by a silver disc. It governs the water, the emotional life and is cool.

When both sun and moon are combined, they express the Andean concept of yanantin. This word is often translated as duality, but it would be more correct to call it interactive complementarity by which all creation came into being. Similar to the concept of yin and yang, it can be said that “The world of existence came into being through the heat generated from the interaction between the active force and its recipient. These are the same, yet they are different.” (Tablet of Wisdom, Baha’u’llah).

The love between the Sun and the Moon gave birth to the Pachamama, mother Earth, or more precisely the mother of time/space, for the word pacha in Quechua means time/space or world.

The Mountains and the Water

Similar to love between the Sun and the Moon there is an interaction between the Mountains and the Water.

The Mountains represent the Apus, the great spirits that protect the population living close to them. Some say in ancient times only the highest mountain in a region was called Apu. Over time, all the higher mountains were equally recognized as Apus. There are actually male Apus like Apu Ausengate and Apu Salkantay, as well as female Apus like mama Simona.

The Water, or Mama Yaku, complements the mountains as she flows from it in little brooks, or springs up from the earth as a well, called paqariña. The ñustas, or female water spirits, relate to the different emotions and are used in ancestral ceremonies to purify your energy body and release any heavy feelings you may have. Purifying baths can be found close to all holy sites of the Inca.

The Mountains and the Water

The third quarter represents the Inca values:

  • Ama sua: Don’t steal, or in other words be trustworthy.
  • Ama llulla: Don’t lie, or in other words be truthful.
  • Ama quella: Don’t be lazy, or in other words be of service.

The last quarter of the chacana represents principles of organization:

  • Munay: Unconditional love and reciprocity
  • Llankay: Work
  • Yachay: Knowledge