I think I spend more time thinking of my next project than actually doing it . . . what can I do, I asked myself, that will not require much material but will let me play with different colors of glass? What can it be? It will have to be something that will work in bigger proportions . . . I ended up making coasters using Tocapus designs.
Tocapus may sound like a funny and strange word if you are not Peruvian or if you are not familiar with Incan culture. Tocapus are designs in the Incas' clothing—sometimes they are embroidered and some other times they are part of a complex design of woven textiles. During Inca's time, cloth with this kind of design was considered luxurious. Therefore, just the Inca himself, the nobles, priest, and the top echelons of Inca society could use them. Nobody knows for certain the exact meaning of the Tocapus, but we Peruvians believe (and there are some theses validating this) that Tocapus are a pictographic language, just like the Kanjis for Chinese and Japanese culture. In other words, one Tocapu (just like one Kanji) means one idea or one word. There is the believe that the Tocapus in the Inca's cloak tell the story of his lineage, wealth and achievements under his reign.
So back to my story, I made coasters having some Tocapus designs on my mind. The last one has been transformed into a tiny plate.
You can read a little more about Tocapus here:
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