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Larco Museum - Ceremonial Vessels, Lima, Peru

The most important ceremonies in the societies of ancient Peru were associated with fertility, sacrifice and the cult of the dead. In each of these three cases, the offering and exchange of fluids was central, and therefore containers for liquids were of particular importance.

Ancient Peruvians gave form to the different materials that nature offered them, creating items from clay, wood and metals. With these materials they made bowls, vessels and cups to hold ceremonial liquids such as water, fermented beverages and sacrificial blood.

Communities gave thanks to their gods and ancestors for the water which fell as rain and flowed down in the form of rivers to irrigate their crops, thereby ensuring agricultural production and the continued life of the people. On important occasions they would offer their gods the most important fluid they possessed – the blood that flowed through their veins or that of the animals they gave in sacrifice.

Chimú ceremonial vessels with representation of human faces
Silver and gold. Raising, sinking, overlapping and repoussé. Peruvian Northern Coast. Imperial Epoch (1300 CE – 1532 CE).

  • Top left: Ceremonial vase made of silver and copper representing a human head with representation of a bird with a scaled body.
  • Top center: Ceremonial vessel made of silver-copper alloy representing a human head with a double face with the representation of a toad or frog on the forehead.
  • Top right: Golden silver ceremonial vessel representing human face.
  • Bottom left: Ceremonial silver vessel representing human head with necklace.
  • Bottom center: Silver-copper alloy ceremonial vessel representing human head with necklace.
  • Bottom right: Silver and gold ceremonial vessel representing human head.
  • See more at 8.99. Representation of Human Faces - Museo Larco.

Chimú wooden sculpture
Wood. Peruvian Northern Coast. Imperial Epoch (1300 CE – 1532 CE).

  • Wooden sculpture representing an individual holding a ceremonial cup. Carvings like this were arranged around the main squares of Chimú palaces and they represented the ancestors of that society.
  • Wooden sculpture representing a seated character holding a cup, with a headdress, circular earmuffs and a skirt.
  • The sculpture must have originally had parts covered in metal. Nails remain in the chest, arms and legs areas. There is evidence of cinnabar on the face.
  • See more at 8.103. Chimú Wooden Sculpture - Museo Larco.

See also

Sources

Location

Location: Av. Simón Bolivar 1515 Ingreso por, frente al, Parque Larco, Navarra 169, Pueblo Libre 15084, Peru