Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino

Native peoples > Chono

Art

Like many tribes in the south of Chile, the Chonos painted their bodies: They painted their faces red, white and/or black, but used only white paint on their bodies. In regard to their clothing, chroniclers have written of the woolen or plant fiber tunics with which the Chonos covered their bodies; their leather or woolen capes (the latter possibly made from guanaco hair) that covered their backs and shoulders; and loincloths made from dried seaweed. Sources also mention that the women wore skirts of bird feathers tied around their waists.