Vintage Tribal Art

Hi! I was wondering if anyone had any info on this?? Also, I’m pretty sure it’s vintage but wanted to confirm. Thanks!

 

It's called a mola, traditional handcraft from the Kuna Indians of the San Blas Islands, Panama. This type of work was originally on their blouses, now is done primarily for sale, as pillow covers or wall hangings, framed or unframed.

 

Molas are often difficult to date precisely, since they have been made pretty much the same for years.

You can sometimes tell by the number of colors used, since earlier ones tended to feature more colors than those made more recently. Older ones also tended to feature traditional design patterns, while more recent ones sometimes get creative and come up with new, "more modern" images. More recent ones have also started to use cotton blends, so you can sometimes tell age by the fabric itself.

Other than that, maybe someone who collects them can more precisely date yours.