genus are found on the Peruvian coast and fragments of 
matting and ropes made of this reed have been recovered 
from other coastal archaeological sites. 
AMARYLLIDACEAE 
Furcraea sp. prob. EF. occidentalis Trel. 
Two similar fiber slings had been placed in the bun- 
dle. One of these (80/4175) is approximately 82 cm. in 
length and the plaits of fiber average 8 mm. in width. 
The other sling (80/4170) is approximately 74.5 em. long 
with plaits averaging 6 mm. in width. Both are made 
of the fibers of H’urcraea. The plaited fiber is knotted at 
one end while the other end is allowed to fray for a dis- 
tance of 7.5 cm., at which point the braid is carefully tied 
with cotton thread. This thread holds in place a cluster 
of short yellow feathers used to ornament the sling. 
The braided cord (31/4160) which bound the limbs of 
the mummy is made of three-ply fiber of F’urcraea sp. 
This specimen is in a poor state of preservation and is 
broken into lengths that vary from 5 to 66 cm. It is not 
possible to tell whether all of these had once been part 
of one length of cord. The width of these different pieces 
of braid measures from 4to 8 mm. The braids retain their 
original shape until the separate ply are disturbed. It is 
then that the strands break into small pieces and thus 
prevent a more careful examination of the component 
fibers. 
Compared with other bundles, it would appear that it 
was customary to bind the limbs in order to retain the 
body in a flexed position. 
The Museum of Natural History mummy bundle 
(Natural History, 41: 119-125) and those examined by 
Yacovleff and Muelle (1984) and Carrion (1949) con- 
tained objects made of this fiber. 
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