The panel derives from one of the burials excavated in the 1920's in the Paracas peninsula, in southern Peru. The deceased, wrapped in various textiles, were buried in a seated position and placed into a basket. The embroidery shows a shaman or other person holding a cut-off head in one hand, and a sacrifical axe in the other.
Many of the Paracas textiles were housed in Gothenburg, Sweden, but are currently being returned to Peru (the process is due to be completed in 2021; for further information, click here).
Digital source (retrieved 3 October 2016).
V&A online catalogue (retrieved 3 October 2016).
WV