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Source Description
Under the Chimú, whose empire stretched for 800 miles along the Peruvian north coast, the value of ceramics fell, perhaps because high-status vessels were made of precious metals. Accordingly, ceramics were mass-produced with molds and, rather than bearing painted scenes, often have an overall dark surface achieved by firing in a smoky atmosphere. This firing method was also used for very early Andean ceramics, including the example at the far left. We don't know whether the Chimú revived the method to venerate earlier cultures. The vessel with the stripped surface was made after the Chimú were conquered by the Inka in the late 1400s.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
144853
label
Darkware Vessel
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
144853
contentType
object
title
Darkware Vessel
description
Under the Chimú, whose empire stretched for 800 miles along the Peruvian north coast, the value of ceramics fell, perhaps because high-status vessels were made of precious metals. Accordingly, ceramics were mass-produced with molds and, rather than bearing painted scenes, often have an overall dark surface achieved by firing in a smoky atmosphere. This firing method was also used for very early Andean ceramics, including the example at the far left. We don't know whether the Chimú revived the method to venerate earlier cultures. The vessel with the stripped surface was made after the Chimú were conquered by the Inka in the late 1400s.
date
Chimú style (900–1470)
citation
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79922369
genreSpecific
Ceramic
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 24 x 17.1 cm (9 7/16 x 6 3/4 in.)
cul
Peru, North Coast, Chimú style (900-1470)
accession
1969.76
Source extras
tec
black ware
tombstone
Darkware Vessel, Chimú style (900–1470). Peru, North Coast, Chimú style (900-1470). Black ware; overall: 24 x 17.1 cm (9 7/16 x 6 3/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Trygve W. Hoff, 1969.76
collection
AA - Andes
creditline
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Trygve W. Hoff
updatedAt
2026-05-29 07:26:35.250000
sourceId
144853
dept
Art of the Americas
coll
AA - Andes
med
black ware
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
2a55ec68f15a1c6a