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Source Description
This very shiny black Chimú vessel has two quite different images on its sides. On one side is an important ruler or lord, whose power is reinforced by the two staffs he holds in each hand. He also wears an elaborate tunic and jewelry, and has a small attendant, who offers him a cup, probably filled with the fermented corn beverage chicha, which was used in all ritual occasions. On the other side of the vessel is a disembodied face, possibly referencing a trophy head and the taking of enemies’ heads in warfare. However, due to the appearance of old age in the head, it may also refer to a deity related to fertility that appears in many Andean ceramics. The glossy surface of the vessel is created by allowing smoke from the burning of wood to permeate ceramics in the kiln. Such shiny dark ceramics were highly prized by the Chimú.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
79423
label
Jar
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
3
Source metadata
id
79423
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Jar
description
This very shiny black Chimú vessel has two quite different images on its sides. On one side is an important ruler or lord, whose power is reinforced by the two staffs he holds in each hand. He also wears an elaborate tunic and jewelry, and has a small attendant, who offers him a cup, probably filled with the fermented corn beverage chicha, which was used in all ritual occasions. On the other side of the vessel is a disembodied face, possibly referencing a trophy head and the taking of enemies’ heads in warfare. However, due to the appearance of old age in the head, it may also refer to a deity related to fertility that appears in many Andean ceramics. The glossy surface of the vessel is created by allowing smoke from the burning of wood to permeate ceramics in the kiln. Such shiny dark ceramics were highly prized by the Chimú.
provenance
New World Antiquities, San Francisco [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Private collection, 1988, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 2009, by gift.
date
1100-1550 (Late Intermediate-Late Horizon)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Ceramics
jars
imageCount
3
pageCount
3
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
21
height
14.6
depth
9.5
dimensionsRaw
H: 8 1/4 x W: 5 3/4 x D: 3 3/4 in. (21 x 14.6 x 9.5 cm)
Source extras
cul
Chimú
med
earthenware
creator_ids
8561
collection_ids
AME
exhibition_ids
none
Page inventory
seq
1
type
photo
mediaId
cbdc58e3cef8008e
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
2
type
photo
mediaId
b966304ff00df974
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
3
type
photo
mediaId
d4d5ff8589a25665
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no