Larco Museum - Cultures of Ancient Peru, Lima, Peru

The Larco Museum (officially known as Rafael Larco Herrera Archaeological Museum, in Spanish: Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera) is a privately owned museum of pre-Columbian art, located in the Pueblo Libre District of Lima, Peru.

The Museo Larco was established in 1926 by Rafael Larco Hoyle, a pioneer of Peruvian archaeology, and it houses a fascinating collection of pre-Columbian art composed of around 45,000 objects.

Situated in an 18th century viceroyalty mansion and surrounded by beautiful gardens, the Museo Larco is a space that stimulates and inspires, where it is possible to enjoy and learn more about the fascinating history of ancient Peru.

Entrance to the Larco Museum The museum is housed in an 18th-century vice-royal building. It showcases chronological galleries that provide a thorough overview of 5,000 years of Peruvian pre-Columbian history.

The art of ancient Peru The works of art that we see in museums were not usually objects intended for daily use. Although some of their apparently utilitarian forms may suggest such usages, their real function was to serve as spiritual rather than earthly objects. The objects which we present were intended to have different functions: as ceremonial objects: containers for beverages and other substances necessary for rituals; as funerary offerings in tombs: accompanying the deceased on their journey to the underworld; as a means for the spreading of ideas: the style of these creations was dictated by the governing elite; as means of religious expression: they were used to represent myths and ceremonies; as works of art: they enabled artists to demonstrate their skill and thereby achieve a higher social standing. For these reasons, ceramics have always been seen by researchers as a rich source of information regarding diverse aspects of the societies that produced them. Pre-Columbian cultures have been defined to a great degree by the stylistic and iconographic characteristics of their ceramics. Because ceramics vary over time and space they also serve to establish local and regional cultural chronologies. In the case of the cultures of ancient Peru, ceremonial ceramics allow us to demonstrate with clarity two great stylistic traditions: The northern tradition, in which there is an emphasis on the development of sculpture, the frequent use of monochrome and two-colored design and the typical stirrup-spout pot. The southern tradition, in which there is an emphasis on the mastery of painting and the use of a wide range of colors, while the double spout and bridge vessel is the charactistic form.

Pacopampa Feline Stone sculpture. Highlands of northern Peru. Formative Epoch (1250 BCE – 1 CE). In the Andean world, the jaguar and puma are major carnivores. These fierce and powerful big cats, which take the lives of other animals to ensure their own survival, symbolize the cyclical transformation necessary for life to flourish in the earthly world. This stone sculpture came from the Pacopampa temple, Cajamarca, in Peru’s northern highlands. Felines were depicted very early in pre-Columbian art. Some three thousand years ago, stone sculptures like this one were visited by pilgrims in the plazas of many ancient Peruvian temples. The jaguar symbolizes the vital forces that make life on Earth possible: sunlight and water. The jaguar represents the sun because it roams the humid lands of the Amazon basin, beyond the mountains to the east, where the sun rises each day. The concentric circles seen on this sculpture adorning the jaguar’s body allude to the spots on its coat while also symbolizing water, which arrives from the celestial world in the form of rain and enables life to flourish on Earth. Gods and ancestors were depicted with fangs, symbols of feline power. See more at 1.2. Pacopampa Feline - Museo Larco.

From the Formative Epoch to the Apogee Epoch In all of the cradles of the world’s civilizations the emergence of the Early States was an important development. In Peru, this change occurred between the Formative Epoch (1250 BCE - 1 CE) and the Apogee Epoch (1 CE - 800 CE), with cultures like the Moche in the north, the Lima in the center of the country, the Nazca in the south and the Tiahuanaco in the highlands around Lake Titicaca. Some of the characteristics of the Early States were: an urban center or city with public spaces (plazas), administrative and ceremonial areas (temples and funerary zones); a governing elite (small exclusive group), comprised of great lords and ladies in whose hands all political, social and religious power was concentrated; an official religion and a priest class entrusted with performing ceremonies and supervising the production of ritual objects; a bureaucracy which managed technological and productive resources; a cast of warriors who were the expression of the power of the state and who participated in ritual combat and sacrifices; a highly developed artistic production usually concentrated in the hands of specialists; an essentially agricultural system of production (and livestock in the highlands) which expanded by virtue of improved technology and better control of the labor force.

Stone mortar (left) and ceramic container in the form of a snail (right) Stone. Highlands of northern Peru. Formative Epoch (1250 BCE – 1 CE). Stone mortar found at Pacopampa, Cajamarca, which represents the fusion of the three sacred animals of ancient Peru: the bird, the feline and the serpent. Ceramic container in the form of a snail, with a stylized mouth and teeth on its shell. See more at 2.5. Pacopampa Stone Mortars - Museo Larco.

Cupisnique Ceramic. Peruvian Northern Coast. Formative Epoch (1250 BCE – 1 CE). The Cupisnique culture, discovered by Rafael Larco in 1930, developed during the Formative Epoch, three thousand years ago. During this period the first temples emerged. Artisans produced objects loaded with religious content which were used in ceremonies and as funerary offerings. The wood used as fuel for shaping and firing earthenware in the kilns produced a lot of smoke, which gave the earthenware a dark color and was decorated mainly with carved lines. Decoration was produced through the incision technique. They produced sculptured vessels shaped like animals, fruits, human heads and houses. The most characteristic element is the stirrup handle. See more at 2.6. Cupisnique - Museo Larco.

Cupisnique sacred animals Ceramic. Peruvian Northern Coast. Formative Epoch (1250 BCE – 1 CE). In early cultures like Cupisnique, the gods were represented as animals. In pre-Columbian art the feline is the symbol of power and strength. It shows its dominance by bringing down the deer, which symbolizes subjection to power. They also represented the owl, a nocturnal bird, and the condor in stylized designs which featured the fangs of felines and serpents. Birds represented the power of the skies, while the feline and the serpent represented the power of the earth and the subterranean world, respectively. See more at 2.7. Cupisnique Sacred Animals - Museo Larco.

The Cupisnique anthropomorphic feline Ceramic bottle. Peruvian Northern Coast. Formative Epoch (1250 BCE – 1 CE). The religions of the Formative Epoch created gods in human form but with the supernatural powers of the feline. On Earth, the supreme leaders assumed the power of the feline. The great religious, political and economic power they accumulated enabled the development of more efficient production methods. The faces of these figures are a combination of human features and those of the feline, such as teeth, whiskers and almond-shaped eyes. See more at 2.8. The Cupisnique Anthropomorphic Feline - Museo Larco.

Virú Ceramic. Peruvian Northern Coast. Formative Epoch (1250 BCE – 1 CE). This culture was discovered by Rafael Larco Hoyle in 1933 in the Virú Valley, in the department of La Libertad. In their ceramics the negative decoration technique domingted. The red designs were covered with very fine clay, while the parts that were left uncovered darkened during firing. The covered parts did not darken, and this created the negative painting effect. Here we see a serpent with two feline heads and a bird perched on it: the feline with the face of an owl on its breast, and a four-legged bird. All of these hybrid creatures are a combination of the bird, the feline and the serpent. These hybrid creatures represent the union of the powers of the sky, earth and underworld. This union reflects the growing power of the rulers. See more at 2.9. Virú - Museo Larco.

The first religions The bird of the heavens, the feline from Earth and the serpent with its access to the subterranean world were the three sacred animals of ancient Peru. These days our survival depends to a large degree on what we are able to purchase. We are far-removed from direct agricultural production. Societies were not always like this. The first sedentary and agricultural societies faced the challenge of making the land productive and thereby feed their growing populations. The societies of ancient Peru maintained themselves through agriculture. Their primary concern was to ensure that the cycles of nature would be repeated without any major changes. The following conditions were of great importance: that the climate was favorable and water arrived at the right time and in sufficient quantity; that the land was fertile; that people worked in an organized manner. The universe was composed of: the sky, where the rains came from; the land which had to be worked; the subterranean world, where the fruits of the earth came from and where the dead went to. These three "worlds" were considered divine and they were symbolized by their respective dominant animals: the bird of prey, such as the eagle, owl or condor, in the heavens, or the world above; the feline, such as the jaguar or puma, on Earth; the serpent (or spider) in the subterranean or underworld. Before the arrival of the Spanish, the principal Andean deities bore the features of these animals.

Pacopampa stele Stone sculpture. Highlands of northern Peru. Formative Epoch (1250 CE – 1 CE). This female deity takes on the features of a bird (the celestial world), feline (earthly world) and serpent (underworld), transforming herself into an all-powerful being encompassing the forces of three worlds. This stone stele is approximately three thousand years old and comes from the Pacopampa temple, Cajamarca, in Peru’s northern highlands. In the temples of the Formative Epoch, carved monoliths gave form to the sacred beings that personified the power of sacred sites. The deity depicted on this stone stele is female; a vagina dentata can be distinguished between her legs, a feature shared by many goddesses from ancient religions throughout the world. This feature expresses the power of the “terrible mother” archetype; the life-giving being also seen as an all-powerful and castrating force. Two appendages in the form of birds’ feathers emerge from her waist. Feline features, including fangs, are distinguishable in the anthropomorphic face of this individual, and in the feline face depicted in the middle of its body. From the feline face located in the middle of the body, two appendages emerge, one on each side, taking the form of a pair of serpents. From the mouth a long, broad tongue emerges, recalling perhaps the forked tongue of a serpent, as well as the discharge produced by a spider as it spins its web. A spiral design, resembling a snail shell, is visible on the chest. The depiction of mythological beings with the ability to establish contact between different worlds indicates the important role of religious art in ancient Peru, during a period when ruling high priests and priestesses were consolidating their power. Recently, at the Pacopampa temple, the tomb of a high priestess was excavated. She was discovered adorned with jewelry fashioned from semiprecious stones and gold, the designs of which closely resemble those exhibited by the deity in this stele, including her round ear adornments, the Strombus shell worn on the chest, and the feather-like appendages that emerge from her waist. See more at 2.11. Pacopampa Stele - Museo Larco.

North coast - The cult of the dead Peruvians honored their gods with offerings and ceremonies and paid homage to their dead. The works of art that we admire today were the ceremonial objects and funerary offerings of the past. As westernized people of the 21st century we no longer organize our societies in relation to life after death. It might be said that we pay homage to life itself, to our existence in the here and now. This way of thinking can make it difficult for us to understand ancient cultures like those which existed in Peru. These societies practiced the cult of the dead, and this enabled their people to make contact with other worlds: the underworld, inhabited by the dead, and the world above, which was where the gods dwelled. In order to gain favor with the gods, people were obliged to perform ceremonies, leave offerings and make sacrifices. The population was also obliged to build tombs and perform elaborate funerary rites so that after their death their leaders would be transformed into ancestors. It was believed that the ancestors of the community had the power to ensure that society and the universe as a whole would continue to exist. In the chiefdoms, states and empires of ancient Peru, the death of leaders (chieftains, lords, priests, priestesses or emperors) was a crucial event. The ceramic vessels, beautiful textiles, gold and silver ornaments and stone sculptures that we display as works of art from the past were, in ancient times, ceremonial objects. Their forms, structures and images contain religious meanings and symbolic messages. Many of these objects come fram the tombs of individuals who received special treatment within pre-Colombian societies.

Salinar Ceramic. Peruvian Northern Coast. Formative Epoch (1250 BCE – 1 CE). This culture was discovered by Rafael Larco Hoyle in 1941 in the Chicama Valley, in the department of La Libertad. The ceramics were fired in kilns in wich the oxygen oxidized the clay, giving them a black-red color. They were then painted with white lines. This "white on red" decorative technique endured until the end of the Formative Epoch. Among the sculptural pieces we see again the feline, the serpent and the owl. The cult of the dead was very important as can be see in this sculptural scene depicting a body prior to burial. See more at 2.13. Salinar - Museo Larco.

Vicús Ceramic bottle. Peruvian Northern Coast. Formative Epoch (1250 BCE – 1 CE). The Vicús culture developed in the department of Piura in the far north of Peru. This region functioned as a cultural frontier between the areas now occupied by Ecuador and Peru, and the artistic characteristics of both regions can be seen in Vicús art. Ceramics were decorated using both the negative and positive painting techniques. The individuals represented have so-called “coffee bean eyes”. This double-chambered sculptural vessel decorated with the negative painting technique represents a nude male with a painted body. He is wearing a metal crown with flaps like the one that can be seen in the Gold Room of the Larco Museum. He is also wearing very large ear plugs — an indication of high rank — and a necklace made from beads shaped like human faces. See more at 2.14. Vicús - Museo Larco.

Moche culture Moche rulers were the earthly personification of the gods. Their attire and adornments evoked the bird, the feline and the serpent. The Moche culture developed in the valleys of the north coast of Peru. This society was a powerful political unit governed by dignitaries and regional lords. Their pyramidal structures and unsurpassable irrigation systems are a testament to the great skill of their architects, engineers and administrators. They were also great potters and excellent sculptors. Moche ceramics provide us with a valuable documentary source regarding the pre-Hispanic past of Peru. In contrast with the Christian faith, ancient religions like those of Egypt, Greece, Rome, the Vikings and Peru involved the worship of several gods and goddesses. Rafael Larco identified one of the Moche gods and he named it Ai Apaec: “The Powerful” in the Muchik language. The principal Moche deities were represented as anthropomorphic figures. They can be recognized by the following features: the erect body of a human; the fangs of a feline; ear plugs, belt or hair ending in serpent shapes; heads of birds with feathered headdresses. The myths which tell of the journeys, encounters and deeds of Ai Apaec and the other gods were painted on ceramics and the murals of temples. During ceremonies, the Moche rulers and priests used symbols of power which were associated with these gods and goddesses. Their metal-covered tunics, body ornamentation (ear plugs, breastpletes and nose ornaments), and their sophisticated crowns were all decorated with these symbols. When they died they were buried with their attire and ceramics which bore images of the myths and ceremonies of their culture.

Mochica Sculptural Ceramics Ceramic bottles. Peruvian Northern Coast. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE). In contrast with contemporary art, which is freely produced by individual artists, in the past artistic production was controlled by the elite. Under the supervision of priests and great lords, Mochica pottery makers achieved a high degree of artistic development. They produced naturalistic sculptures and drew scenes on the surfaces of their pottery using the so-called “fine line” technique. See more at 2.15. Mochica Sculptural Ceramics - Museo Larco.

Moche art In contrast with contemporary art, which is freely produced by individual artists, in the past artistic production was controlled by the elite. Under the supervision of priests and great lords, Moche pottery makers achieved a high degree of artistic development. They produced naturalistic sculptures and drew scenes on the surfaces of their pottery using the so-called “fine line” technique. Just as today in the Christian faith the symbol of the cross evokes the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, in Moche art an image of a knife (or tumi) evoked ceremonial sacrifice. Both the Christian cross and the tumi of the Moche are single elements which form part of a much larger narrative tradition. Artists gave form to their beliefs, myths and ceremonies. Each object and representation can only be fully understood if we see them within the context of the entire artistic universe from which they emerged. To understand what these objects mean, it is necessary to interpret the pottery and images (iconography) as part of the culture’s myths and ceremonies. A finely-wrought representation of an animal may appear to us as a beautiful naturalistic sculpture. However, this animal was considered a god and it appears in drawings in its anthropomorphic form. The sculptural representation of an individual may have formed part of a highly detailed pictorial scene, perhaps a ceremony represented in its entirety in another piece. The majority of Moche ceramics were placed in tombs as part of the culture’s cult of the dead. Their messages and symbolism were carried to “the next world” in the same way as the “Book of the Dead” of the ancient Egyptians.

Mochica fine line pottery Ceramic bottles. Peruvian Northern Coast. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE). Like all agricultural societies, ancient Peruvians were fundamentally concerned with the acquiring of knowledge regarding the cycles of nature. They knew that in nature there exist cycles, such as those marked by the returning of the seasons. They believed that in the same way we humans are born, live, die and pass on to the subterranean world, from where all life is reborn. The world is animated by opposing forces which at the same time are also complementary. At the center of the Andean world view is the concept of duality. In Quechua, the concept of complementary duality is known as tinkuy, and it is similar to the concept of yin-yang in eastern philosophy, which has its origin in the religion of ancient agricultural societies. The cycles of nature are possible because the forces which animate the world are in constant movement. This dynamic is represented by the spiral symbol. The Andean world is divided into three planes, or worlds: the world above, or hanan pacha, which is inhabited by the gods, the earthly world, or kay pacha, where human beings and animals live, and the underworld, or uku pacha, where the dead dwell. These three planes are represented by the stepped symbol and the scroll in the upper part symbolizes the dynamic between these worlds. In the earthly world human beings perform rituals to ensure that the forces of the world above and those of the underworld will meet. The Mochica embodied their principal religious concepts and myths in their pottery, and they also depicted their rituals in great detail using the technique known as “fine line”. See more at 2.16. Mochica Fine Line Pottery - Museo Larco.

Owl God Pottery vessel. Peruvian Northern Coast. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE). An anthropomorphic owl dressed as a warrior and standing under an arch formed by a serpent with two feline heads. This is one of the principal gods of Mochica culture and it is associated with the night, the occult and death. See more at 2.17. Owl God - Museo Larco.

The journeys of Ai Apaec Pottery rattle vessel. Mochica, northern coast of Peru. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE). Ai Apaec is a mythological Mochica being with enormous fangs, a serpent belt and ear adornments, and he travels through different worlds in order to ensure the continuation of nature’s cycles. The base of this large rattle vessel contains clay beads which produce a rattling sound when the vessel is shaken. The interior of the vessel is decorated with different episodes in the mythological journey of Ai Apaec into the underworld. Ai Apaec (the name was given to him by Rafael Larco Hoyle, and in the Muchik language it means “The Creator”) wears a feather headdress. He has enormous fangs and wears a serpent belt and ear adornments. His tunic is decorated with a step design. Ai Apaec is a mythological hero, whose task is to restore order. To achieve this, he travels through the different worlds in a quest for continuous regeneration, in the form of the returning seasons. During his quest, he ventures into the ocean and confronts the different mythological beings that inhabit the underworld: a being that adopts the form of a puffer fish; an anthropomorphic sea urchin; and a “marine demon” with the face of a seal, a crest on its head and fins like those of the shark or stingray. In another scene, we see Ai Apaec, apparently dead, pinned down by two birds: a booby and a vulture. The other protagonists who appear in this great scene are three musicians, two of whom play panpipes, while the third plays a drum, or tinya. In the Andean region, panpipes are usually played in pairs to evoke the links between different worlds, seasons and forces, while the drum is played in the context of agricultural propitiatory rites and fiestas. The headdress and tunic worn by Ai Apaec change according to the context in which he finds himself. When Ai Apaec fights the puffer fish or sea urchin, he wears his typical feline headdress and plume of feathers and the step motif on his tunic is a cream color over a red background. However, when Ai Apaec fights with the “marine demon”, and when he is pinned down by the birds, he wears a headdress evoking his previous opponents, a helmet with appendages in the form of owl’s ears, but with the face of a feline on the front part of the crown, and the colors of his tunic are reversed; the step motif is red, on a cream colored background. The exterior of the vessel is decorated with a combined step motif and scroll design, symbolizing the dynamic interaction that occurs between different worlds. Taken together, the imagery found on this vessel alludes to the opposing forces required for the natural world to continue to function. See more at 2.18. The Journeys of Ai Apaec - Museo Larco.

The journeys of Ai Apaec plan Campanulated vase or vase with everted walls, with pictorial decoration with representation of the following mythical scenes: Combat between Ai Apaec and the Sea Urchin - Combat between anthropomorphic character with supernatural features (hero Ai Apaec), feline fangs, facial paint, feline headdress, tiered shirt, wristbands, loincloth, snake belt and hip protector, holding knife and bag; and anthropomorphic character with supernatural features, feline fangs, half-moon headdress and plumes, nose ring, face paint, circular earmuffs, square shirt, wrist guards and hip protector, holding knife with snake appendage and bag. Combat between Ai Apaec and the Puffer Fish - Combat between anthropomorphic character with supernatural features with wrinkled face, feline fangs, face paint, nose ring, feline headdress and feathers, snake head earrings, tiered shirt, snake belt, wristbands and loincloth, holding knife; and anthropomorphic character with supernatural features with feline fangs, face paint, circular earmuffs, globular body and crescent and plumed headdress, holding knife. Accompanied by dog. Combat between Ai Apaec and the Demon Fish - Combat between anthropomorphic character with supernatural features, wrinkled face, half-moon headdress and plumes with representation of a feline, feline fangs, facial paint, circular earmuffs, stepped shirt, wristbands, snake belt and loincloth, holding knife with appendage of snake; and anthropomorphic character (Demon Fish) with an animal head, appendages on the snout, fish fins and a shirt, holding a knife. Death scene of the hero Ai Apaec and help from the birds (chicken and booby, sea bird) - Anthropomorphic character with supernatural features with a wrinkled face, feline fangs, facial paint, half-moon headdress with representation of a feline head, earrings, tiered shirt, wristbands and snake belt, being held by two anthropomorphic characters with bird heads, human body, cape, tunic and belt. Musical scene - Two anthropomorphic characters playing antara, with feline fangs, long hair, earrings, tiered shirt, loincloth and snake belt; and anthropomorphic character with a drum head, with feline fangs, earrings, a necklace and long hair. See more at ML018882 - Museo Larco.

Mochica phases Ceramic. Peruvian Northern Coast. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE). Rafael Larco defined five phases of Mochica ceramics by taking into consideration variations in the designs of stirrup spout bottles. This approach, developed by Rafael Larco Hoyle in 1946, is still employed in modern archaeology. The evolution of the shape of the handle and spout, the rim of the spout, the relationship between the main body of the vessel and the stirrup spout, the type of paint used and the details of the sculpture are some of the variables which contribute to the defining of the sequence of five phases proposed by Rafael Larco. This sequence is supported by the stratigraphic position of the tombs in which they were found. See more at 3.19. Mochica Phases - Museo Larco.

Sculptural bottle with stirrup neck handle Ceramic. Peruvian Northern Coast. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE). Sculptural bottle with stirrup neck handle representing a seated character with a turban, pierced ears, cape and tunic. See more at ML012796 - Museo Larco.

Mochica Portrait Vessels Pottery. Northern Coast of Peru. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE). Sculptural pottery vessels decorated with remarkably realistic portraits: the cadaverous face symbolizes the underworld, where the dead dwell; the man wearing a headdress represents the earthly world inhabited by humans; and the figure with feline fangs evokes the celestial world of the gods. The sculptural vessel depicting an individual wearing a bird’s head headdress, the detailed facial features of which were achieved through considerable artistry, was a gift from Rafael Larco Herrera to his son Rafael Larco Hoyle. It was with this piece that the collection of 45,000 objects currently owned by the museum was begun. In these types of portrait vessel, the faces of members of the ruling elite are depicted, including priests, warriors and the most outstanding artists of Mochica culture. Some of these individuals were even portrayed at different periods in their lives. Ai Apaec, the mythological Mochica hero who journeyed through different worlds, confronting different creatures, is depicted with feline fangs and serpent-like ear adornments on two of these vessels. On one of them, he is wearing an owl ear headdress; on another, he is shown in the world of the dead, with a cadaverous face and no headdress, after losing in combat. Portrait vessels are found in tombs as important funerary offerings. See more at 3.20. Mochica Portrait Vessels - Museo Larco.

Captive head Pottery. Northern Coast of Peru. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE). This is a ceramic sculptural jug that represents the head of a captive character. This human head is adorned by hanging circular earflaps, one at the top of the earlobe and another at the bottom. The vase is red, while the ear flaps and the sclera of the eyes are cream. The character has a fringe on his forehead. This way of representing hair is similar to that of warriors who have been defeated in ritual combat and are going to be prepared for sacrifice. The hair, in those cases, has been cut, leaving only a fringe on the forehead. This feature allows us to say that this jug represents the head of a warrior defeated in ceremonial combats, whose hair was cut, undressed and then sacrificed to propitiate the main gods of the Mochica pantheon. See more at ML012869 - Museo Larco.

The end of the Moche The decline of the Moche state was the result of the weakning of the political-religious power of the rulers. Subsequently, on the north coast of Peru, the states of Lambayeque and Chimú emerged. Cultures, like energy, are neither created nor destroyed, but rather transformed. The end of the Moche culture was not the result of mass destruction caused by the El Niño phenomenon, or political conflict with the contemporary Huari-culture of the southern Andes. What in fact occurred was a peaceful, although almost certainly traumatic, transformation influenced by those two factors. The Moche were farmers and fishermen. Agricultural production was dependent upon the efficient running of a complex irrigation system developed over a long period, while fishing relied on the abundant fish stocks produced by the cold Peruvian ocean current. Around 600 CE, the warm ocean current known as the El Niño phenomenon arrived with particular force and it caused serious flooding of the irrigation system, as well as adversely affecting coastal fishing activities. This situation weakened the credibility of the rulers who, as the representatives of the gods, demanded useless human sacrifices to appease their divine fury. The ensuing production and political-religious crisis led the population to seek a new ideology to cling to. This came from the southern Andes and coincided with the expansion of the artistic influence of the Huari culture from the Ayacucho area. Between 800 and 1100 CE there was a notable influence from the southern region of Peru upon the styles of the north and central areas. During this time, known as the Fusion Epoch, the first meeting of the two great traditions of Andean culture, from the north and the south, can be seen. In the Fusion Epoch, the states of Lambayeque and Chimú emerged in the territories previously occupred by the Moche. In the Imperial Epoch the Chimú state grew, conquering the Lambayeque culture and becoming a great coastal empire.

Pottery Technology Ceramic and bone. Peruvian Northern Coast. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE). The work of the potter demands control of every stage of production: the selection of the primary material, the preparation of the clay, the making of the object, decoration, drying, the finishing of the surface and firing. The primary material for the making of Mochica ceramics consisted of red and cream-colored clays, as well as kaolin or white clay. The pigments used to give color to the slip and paints were mostly mineral-based, particularly ferrous oxides. Tools made from bones were used to decorate the ceramic after modeling. Molds and stamps were also used to apply some designs. Some ceramic objects were flawed, but they were still conserved by ancient Peruvians. See more at 3.21. Pottery Technology - Museo Larco.

The Fusion Epoch and the Imperial Epoch The Chimú Empire of the north coast and the great Inca Empire which expanded from the southern highlands represent a synthesis of the two major cultural traditions of ancient Peru. In the art of the cultures of the Fusion Epoch the powerful lords and gods were represented with certain features of birds, felines and serpents. Hybrid creatures with a combination of these features can also be seen. From the Imperial Epoch we find those in power represented as human beings. This was a result of the political changes of the time, during which some dominions and states expanded, transforming themselves into great and powerful empires. The earthly power of the ruler was greater than his religious power. This occurred in the two imperial states which represent a synthesis of the two dominant cultural traditions of the Andes on the north coast, the Chimú Empire, and in the southern highlands the Inca Empire, which conquered the Chimú and incorporated them into the great empire encountered by the Spanish in the 16th century. The imperial power of the Chimú and the Incas was expressed in their mass production of art objects. There was a growth in the number of people able to access positions of power and wealth, and these individuais were granted more elaborate funeral rites. To meet this demand, great quantities of jewelry, weavings and ceramics were produced as accessories essential for the increased number of ceremonies and local and regional festivities.

Northern Huari Ceramic. Peruvian Northern Coast. Fusion Epoch (800 CE – 1300 CE). The influence of Huari art from southern Peru introduced new traits into the pottery art of the north, such as the presence of more colors and double spout and bridge vessels. Huari art is characterized by geometric motifs outlined in black. It is common to find representations of humans and religious motifs. The feline deity is represented wearing a belt in the form of a two-headed serpent, serpent ear plugs and wings. See more at 3.22. Northern Huari - Museo Larco.

Sculptural pitcher Ceramic. Peruvian Northern Coast. Fusion Epoch (800 CE – 1300 CE). Sculptural pitcher representing a seated supernatural bat with the ears of two-headed snakes, a necklace of zoomorphic beads, snake head earrings and a representation of zoomorphic heads. Handles representing two animals (monkeys). See more at ML031741 - Museo Larco.

Sculptural double spout bottle with banded bridge handle Ceramic. Peruvian Northern Coast. Fusion Epoch (800 CE – 1300 CE). Sculptural double spout bottle with banded bridge handle representing an anthropomorphic character with the head and wings of a bird, with a crown, facial paint and pectoral, holding batons. See more at ML010864 - Museo Larco.

Sculptural pitcher Ceramic. Peruvian Northern Coast. Fusion Epoch (800 CE – 1300 CE). Sculptural pitcher representing a character's head with a headdress and facial paint. See more at ML031738 - Museo Larco.

Lambayeque Ceramic. Peruvian Northern Coast. Fusion Epoch (800 CE – 1300 CE). In Lambayeque pottery there is a continuation of the sculptural tradition of the north. The double spout and bridge handle forms of the vessels come from the southern pottery tradition. These ceramics feature a figure with wing-shaped eyes, pointed ears with large ear plugs and a half-moon headdress. This individual would have been conceived as a representation of the mythical heroic founder of the ruling dynasty, known as Naylamp, who was deified. He appears accompanied by other lesser figures. The great lords of the kingdom of Lambayeque were buried wearing metal masks in the likeness of this deity. See more at 3.23. Lambayeque - Museo Larco.

Chimú Ceramic. Peruvian Northern Coast. Imperial Epoch (1300 CE – 1532 CE). In Chimú ceramics we can detect a revival of the northern tradition after a three hundred year period of southern artistic influence. Stirrup-spout vessels once again became the dominant form. In the area between the spout and the handle of these pieces there is a small representation of a monkey. In common with the traditions of Mochica art, sculptural ceramics once again assumed a major role. The Chimú elite chose black ceramics over markedly southern forms such as polychrome designs and the use of the double spout bridge-handled vessel. Chimú ceramics were made using molds and pieces were mass-produced. While two thousand years earlier the feline had been represented as a powerful figure vanquishing the deer, in Chimú art a human was represented carrying a deer on his shoulders, thereby transmitting a message related to the humanizing of power. See more at 3.24. Chimú - Museo Larco.

Double-bodied bottle with ribbon bridge handle Ceramic. Peruvian Northern Coast. Imperial Epoch (1300 CE – 1532 CE). Double-bodied bottle with ribbon bridge handle with representation of a character with a half-moon headdress, circular earflaps, shirt and loincloth, flanked by two birds with a half-moon headdress. Sculptural representation of a ritual dance in a round, formed by a main character with a large half-moon headdress, circular earflaps, necklace and tunic, held by the hands of two middle-ranking characters with a half-moon headdress, necklace and loincloth; in turn, these are holding hands with four lesser-ranked figures in tunics. Closing the round are two musicians, one is playing a drum and the other holding a jug. In the center is a seated character with two jugs with ropes around their necks and a bowl. See more at ML017535 - Museo Larco.

Inca Peruvian Northern Coast. Imperial Epoch (1300 CE – 1532 CE). One of the characteristic forms of Inca pottery is the urpu, or aryballos. This vessel has a spherical or globular body and side handles. The spouts of these vessels end in an elongated and flattened lip. Another typical element is the application of a small feline head on the front of the vessel. In Inca art the majority of the ceramics produced were pacchas – ceremonial vessels associated with the worship of water. A lot of color was employed in the decoration, in keeping with the style of the southern tradition. See more at 3.25. Inca - Museo Larco.

Chimú Inca Ceramic. Peruvian Northern Coast. Imperial Epoch (1300 CE – 1532 CE). At the time of the arrival of the Spanish on Peru’s northern coast this type of pottery was produced by the Chimú under Inca rule. In this pottery we can see features of the cultural traditions of the north and south. The sculptural element of the north is maintained, together with the design in the space between the spout and the handle, in keeping with the tradition of Chimú ceramics. The typically southern use of polychrome designs and the flattened spouts of Inca ceramics are retained. The double-chamber and double spout linked by a bridge are characteristics of Chimú-Inca art. The feline continued to be frequently represented as the principal deity. See more at 3.26. Chimú Inca - Museo Larco.

The conquest and the extirpation of idolatries The dramatic encounter between the world of Europe and the indigenous societies of the Americas that started in the 15th century placed in opposition two distinct ways of understanding and organizing the world. Today, in the 21st century, we are curious to learn about how our ancient ancestors lived. Although our society is very different from those of the past, we search for ways to connect with them and bring us closer to the uses and meanings of the objects that were produced in the past. This was not the attitude 500 years ago, when the first contact occurred between Europe and America. Just as had occurred in 800 CE with the expansion of Huari ideology and in 1450 with the arrival of the Incas on the north coast, upon the arrival of the Spanish on the coast of Peru in 1532 a radical change occurred in the evolution of these civilizations. The conquest occurred at a time when the indigenous population was being decimated by the arrival of illnesses of European origin. These already weakened communities were drastically affected by political and economic changes and military confrontations. The cultural clash of these two civilizations, Catholic Spain and the indigenous cultures of America, was dramatic. Two distinct ways of understanding the world faced each other — two different visions regarding the relationship between society and the supernatural. One of the main effects of the Spanish conquest occurred as a result of the introduction of the Catholic faith. During this process the huacas, places and objects that were sacred for indigenous people, were destroyed. The same occurred with the mallquis, the bodies of the Inca ancestors which were worshiped by the community. This was part of a process known as the “Extirpation of Idolatries”.

Colonial Pottery Ceramic. Peruvian Northern Coast. Conquest Epoch (1532 CE). With the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors elements from European culture were introduced into Andean art. At first the ceramics produced echoed the Inca designs of double-chamber, double spout and bridge vessels. European influence in these pieces can be seen in the yellow, brown or green glaze which was produced with a lead varnish and higher temperature kilns. Ceramics that imitated the metal pans of Europe were also produced. One of the subjects represented in pre-Columbian art is the feline attacking a deer or a man carrying a subdued deer. After the Spanish conquest a variation on this theme appeared: a powerful man carrying a feline. For the first time in Andean art the feline god appears overpowered and defeated as if it were a deer, thereby reflecting the effect upon indigenous religious beliefs of the process known as the extirpation of idolatries. See more at 3.28. Colonial Pottery - Museo Larco.

Sculptural bottle Ceramic. Peruvian Northern Coast. Conquest Epoch (1532 CE). Sculptural bottle representing a seated character with a headdress and nose ring, carrying a feline on his back with a rope around its neck. See more at ML017536 - Museo Larco.

Cultures of the central coast The central coast of Peru was a meeting place for the cultural traditions of the north and south. The Lima culture developed during the Apogee Epoch and its most characteristic sites were the archaeological complexes of Maranga, Huaca Pucllana and Huallamarca, which can be seen today by visitors to the city of Lima. Its ceramics feature an intertwined serpent motif. This culture developed a great system of water channels which enabled them to improve the productivity of the valleys of the Chillón, Rimac and Lurín rivers. In the Fusion Epoch the art of the southern highlands made its influence felt on local styles. In the Rimac vailey the Lima-Nieveria culture developed, with its principal center located at Cajamarquilla. In this period several states, each with its own highly-developed artistic style, competed for religious and political precedence. From this time, and throughout the Imperial Epoch, the sanctuary of Pachacamac in the Lurín valley was the most important oracle and place of pilgrimage on the central coast. After the Inca conquest and until the arrival of the Spanish, Pachacamac remained a very important political and religious center to which pilgrims came bearing offerings. In the Imperial Epoch, the Chancay culture, known for its beautiful textiles and white ceramics, developed north of Lima.

Lima-Nievería Ceramic. Peruvian Central Coast. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE). Lima-Nievería pottery, produced on the central coast, displays features from the cultural traditions of both northern and southern Peru. It incorporates sculptural scenes from the northern tradition. Its southern influence is characterized by the double spout and bridge design and polychrome decoration. The dominant color is a bright orange. See more at 3.29. Lima-Nievería - Museo Larco.

Double spout bottle with tubular bridge handle Ceramic. Peruvian Central Coast. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE). Double spout bottle with tubular bridge handle representing character with headdress, face paint and shirt, sitting next to gable roof structure (house). Representation of a feline and a character with a headdress, face paint and shirt, herding six camelids (grazing). See more at ML018889 - Museo Larco.

Double spout bottle with sculptural banded bridge handle Ceramic. Peruvian Central Coast. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE). Double spout bottle with sculptural banded bridge handle representing three characters sailing in a three-body reed boat, one of them is holding a seashell (Spondylus/Mullu). See more at ML031863 - Museo Larco.

Central Huari Ceramic. Peruvian Central Coast. Fusion Epoch (800 CE – 1300 CE). The Humaya style is the result of the coming together of the Huari and Lima styles and it inherited the orange color of Lima and the pictorial motifs of Huari. During the Fusion Epoch, the pottery from the central coast shows the influence of Huari art without the sheen and smooth finish of that earlier culture’s work. Initially vessels were mostly brightly-colored, but gradually this colorfulness disappeared and the ceramics produced were of a lesser quality. In these styles elements can be seen that were present in Chancay culture: the human face adopts a triangular form and the surface of the pottery is unpolished. See more at 3.30. Central Huari - Museo Larco.

Chancay Ceramic. Peruvian Central Coast. Imperial Epoch (1300 CE – 1532 CE). Chancay pottery, with its unpolished surface, was usually white with geometric designs in black or brown. The sculptures of men and women in a standing position with raised arms are known as “cuchimilcos”. These large figures were dressed with textiles and were usually placed in pairs in tombs. This culture achieved a very high level of quality in its production of textiles. Gauzes and tapestries were used to wrap the dead laid to rest in Chancay tombs. Potters reproduced ritual scenes which accompanied the dead into the afterlife. See more at 3.31. Chancay - Museo Larco.

Pachacamac Ceramic. Peruvian Central Coast. Fusion Epoch (800 CE – 1300 CE). Pachacamac, located in the Lurín Valley, was the most important ceremonial center on the central coast. Very high quality pottery from the Fusion Epoch has been found at this site. This pottery is predominantly red, black and cream in color and was clearly influenced by Huari culture. The most characteristic representation is that of a zoomorphic figure known as the “Pachacamac gryphon”, a fantastic animal which is a cross between an eagle and a feline, with a three-pointed crest, often represented holding a knife. See more at 3.32. Pachacamac - Museo Larco.

Cultures of the south The south coast is one of the most arid regions of Peru. Nevertheless, ancient Peruvians developed ingenious techniques in order to take advantage of subterranean water supplies. This made possible the development of very sophisticated cultures in the region. The Paracas culture inhabited the valleys of Chincha, Pisco and Ica. They are known for their elaborate burials, which clearly illustrate the great importance from the Formative Epoch onwards of the cult of the dead. The dead were wrapped in fine textiles and other offerings. During the Apogee Epoch the Nazca culture developed. They were expert in the building of subterranean aqueducts which linked a system of reservoirs for the distribution of water and the irrigation of crops. They transformed the arid plains into a sacred land, creating the lines and figures which are known today as the Nazca Lines. Their principal political and religious center was located at Cahuachi. On the high plains of Lake Titicaca, one of the sacred sites of the highlands of Peru dedicated to the worship of the feline, the Tiahuanaco culture developed. Their religion spread from the temples known as Akapana and Kalasasaya. At the same time the Huari state developed in the southern highlands. It was characterized by its urban centers, stone sculptures, fine textiles and work in feathers, as well as marvelous polychrome ceramics. Around 600 CE the Huari of the southern highlands occupied the coastal valleys. Their art and customs combined with those of the coastal cultures and gave rise to the artistic synthesis which we now know as the Fusion Epoch. In the Imperial Epoch the Chincha chiefdom emerged. Its most important political and ceremonial center was Tambo de Mora. The Chincha were known as merchants and seafarers. They were conquered by the Incas and became their suppliers of Spondylus shells, which they brought from warm equatorial waters.

Paracas pottery Ceramic. Peruvian Southern Coast. Formative Epoch (1250 BCE – 1 CE). Paracas Caverns - This piece is covered with the incised decoration characteristic of the Formative Epoch. The paint was applied in thick layers after firing. The main colors employed are greenish-brown, red, black, pastel blue, white and yellow. The way in which the feline is represented is reminiscent of the art of the Cupisnique culture: it appears anthropomorphized and highly-stylized. Paracas Necropolis - This ceramic displays geometric motifs in positive and negative painting techniques. Unlike the ceramics, Paracas-Necropolis textiles are highly decorated. The double spout and bridge handle, classic traits of the ceramics of the southern tradition, are often seen in the Paracas style and the later Nazca style. See more at 3.33. Paracas Pottery - Museo Larco.

Nazca culture Life in the Nazca culture was filled with rituals and celebrations associated with the fertility of the land and the cult of the dead. The Nazca society lived on the south coast of Peru, which is a desert region. They needed to improve the fertility of their land, and to this end they developed great knowledge regarding water sources, both in the form of surface water from the rains which fell in the highlands and subterranean supplies. It was also important for them to understand the behavior of animals and the lifecycles of plants. The Nazca made pilgrimages to their main temples at Cahuachi, where they danced and played instruments such as panpipes and drums. Their roads and ceremonial spaces were inserted into the landscape in the form of the famous Nazca Lines. In these ceremonies, they used very fine ceramic vessels to hold beverages, foods and other substances, possibly of a hallucinogenic nature, which were used by their shamans. The people dressed themselves in colorful textiles and bright ornaments. They carried woven and feather standards. The designs of the colorful Nazca ceramics feature natural and supernatural creatures, as well as stylized representations of humans adorned as they would have been when participating in rituals. Another important subject of this art is the representation of trophy heads. Sometimes these were carried by humans with supernatural features and by mythological beings. In other cases they formed part of their bodies or clothing. Trophy heads were won in ritual battles and then used in ceremonies.

Nazca A Apogee Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE). Nazca A or Monumental pottery is naturalistic and colorful. The paint covers the entire surface of the vessels. The predominant forms are the small double spout and bridge designs. Sculpture was less developed. In their pottery Nazca artists represented the fauna and flora of their environment. They depicted the detailed features of animals and fruits with great skill and delicacy. They depicted fishermen and farmers as well as hunting scenes and combat between warriors. The “decapitator deities” were also represented. Another frequently occurring motif is the trophy head. The anthropomorphic feline deity appears on a large number of drinking vessels and it is depicted as a combination of the features of the feline, bird and serpent. See more at 4.34. Nazca Culture - Museo Larco.

Sculptural bottle neck with side handle Ceramic. Peruvian Southern Coast. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE). Sculptural bottle neck with side handle representing an anthropomorphic character holding a knife (cutthroat) with the body and head of a whale, human limbs and a representation of human heads with their throats cut off from the body. See more at ML013684 - Museo Larco.

Nazca drum Pottery. Southern coast of Peru. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE). A shaman can be seen on this drum. Shamans were able to contact other worlds after consuming hallucinogenic plants. A feline can be seen on the chest of this individual. Serpents emerge from his mouth and nose, and he is surrounded by serpents with feline heads. Around his neck, he is wearing a necklace made from plaques in the form of bird feathers. The individual seen on this drum has the strength of the feline, can fly like a bird, and possesses the serpent’s ability to enter subterranean depths. In this way, the drum expresses the power ancient shamans had to connect with other worlds. The two seven-pointed stars on the shaman’s cheeks represent the San Pedro cactus, a plant consumed by shamans wishing to enter into a trance-like state. The shape of this drum appears to recall that of a funerary bundle, and its music would have accompanied the deceased into the underworld. See more at 4.35. Nazca Drum - Museo Larco.

Nazca B Apogee Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE). While Nazca A or Monumental pottery is naturalistic and colorful, Nazca B or Proliferative Nazca pottery have no naturalistic representations. In this ceramic vessels, decorative motifs are multiplied, reflecting a horror vacui (fear of empty space). They feature complex representations of humans, animals and supernatural beings. The feline continued to be worshiped as a god and was represented in a stylized form. It is a flying feline with a large nose ring. Some of the rays are tipped with the heads of serpents. Once again we see the combination of feline, bird and serpent features. Another frequently seen motif is the trophy head. These are so stylized that they appear as small triangles with three markings. See more at 4.36. Nazca Pottery - Museo Larco.

Southern Huari Ceramic and stone. Peruvian Southern Coast. Fusion Epoch (800 CE – 1300 CE). The Huari culture emerged in Ayacucho, in the southern highlands of Peru. Its pottery combines sculpture with the use of color. Motifs are outlined in black. This style greatly influenced the Andean region during the Fusion Epoch. The style from the southern coast displays a marked Huari influence. The pottery also incorporates Nazca influence in its use of the double spout and bridge handle. Figures carved in turquoise, found at the Huari site of Pikillacta, representing members of the elite dressed in important symbols of power and status in the form of fine headdresses and tunics. See more at 4.37. Southern Huari - Museo Larco.

Face-neck pitcher Ceramic and stone. Peruvian Southern Coast. Fusion Epoch (800 CE – 1300 CE). Fragment of a face-neck pitcher representing a character with a bird headdress. See more at ML040256 - Museo Larco.

Chincha Ceramic. Peruvian Southern Coast. Imperial Epoch (1300 CE – 1532 CE). The Chincha chiefdom emerged in the southern valleys. The Chincha were mariners and traders and skilled weavers. Their most characteristic pottery form was the bowl. With their beautiful combinations of geometric motifs, these bowls give the impression of being bordered by woven sashes. See more at 4.38. Chincha - Museo Larco.

Chincha Inca Ceramic. Peruvian Southern Coast. Imperial Epoch (1300 CE – 1532 CE). The Incas conquered the Chincha chiefdom. After this conquest the styles, colors and designs of these cultures were combined. The aryballo form denotes the presence of the Incas. The handle joined to the neck of the vessel is an inheritance from Chincha ceramics. See more at 4.39. Chincha Inca - Museo Larco.

Chincha sculpture Wood. Peruvian Southern Coast. Imperial Epoch (1300 CE – 1532 CE). Wooden sculpture representing a character holding a ceremonial cup. See more at 4.40. Chincha Sculpture - Museo Larco.

Keros Wood. Peruvian Southern Coast. Imperial Epoch (1300 CE – 1532 CE). One of the typical Inca pottery form was the kero, or ceremonial cup. This form was inherited from the art of the Tiahuanaco culture. The keros were usually made from carved wood and decorated with incisions. These ceremonial drinking vessels continued to be made during the colonial period and they were decorated with colorful carved and painted scenes. Keros are still made by Andean communities. See more at 4.41. Keros - Museo Larco.

Inca aryballos Ceramic. Peruvian Southern Highlands. Imperial Epoch (1300 CE – 1532 CE). The other typical forms of the pottery of the Inca imperial phase was the urpu, also known as an aryballo because of its similarity to Greek vessels. Huge aryballos were produced. They were used to make, store and transport chicha, the ritual drink made from fermented corn, and other edible products which were shared during the festivals of redistribution organized by the Inca. The base of the aryballo ended in a point so that it could be inserted in the ground. See more at 4.42. Inca Aryballos - Museo Larco.

Inca Ceramic. Peruvian Southern Highlands. Imperial Epoch (1300 CE – 1532 CE). Imperial Inca ceramics are characterized by the urpu, or aryballo, form. A small zoomorphic head, usually that of a feline, was applied to the upper, front part of the main body of the vessel. Another characteristic feature is the addition of ribbon-like handles on cups, pitchers and bowls. The use of several colors, as well as geometric decoration, is evidently an example of the cultural tradition of the south. See more at 4.43. Inca - Museo Larco.

Cajamarca Ceramic. Peruvian Northern Highlands. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE). Cajamarca ceramics, from the highlands of northern Peru, are characterized by their geometric motifs and stylized zoomorphic designs. The cursive painting differs from the other pictorial styles of ancient Peru. The decoration was applied both on the interior and exterior of the piece. The principal forms of this pottery were tripod vessels, cups with bases and plates. The predominant colors were cream and orange. See more at 4.44. Cajamarca - Museo Larco.

Santa Ceramic. Peruvian Northern Highlands. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE). Also known as Recuay, this culture developed in the highlands and coast of north-central Peru. Its pottery is sculptural and scenographic. In the painted designs a stylized feline dominates. Appendages emerge from the head and face of what is known as the “rampant feline” or “lunar animal”. This creature is frequently seen in the art of the Mochica culture, which was a contemporary and neighbor of the Santa on the northern coast of Peru. See more at 4.46. Santa - Museo Larco.

Sculptural bottle Ceramic. Peruvian Northern Highlands. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE). Sculptural bottle (paccha) representing a two-story fort-type quadrangular structure. Four guardhouses in each corner. Two characters seated on top with a headdress, circular earflaps and tunic, holding a bowl. This is a sculptural ceramic bottle that depicts a libation scene. This sculptural paccha portrays a building with four small towers with flat roofs. Sitting inside the building, two personages face each other. They both hold a vase in their hands, as if they were toasting with each other. The architectonic space has windows, some of which have a stepped shape. See more at ML031716 - Museo Larco.

Sculptural bottle Ceramic. Peruvian Northern Highlands. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE). Sculptural bottle (paccha) that represents a seated lord or main character, who wears a bird headdress, circular earflaps and a tunic. The character is covered by a roof that is supported by four half-naked characters. Around him are five women holding small bowls. This is a ceramic sculptural bottle depicting an ancestor worship scene. Four men standing with their genitals exposed hold a kind of roof or covering of this space, which could correspond to the tomb of the ancestor, who is seated in the center of a small platform. This central character is adorned with circular earflaps, wears a headdress with elements that look like feather decorations, and is flanked by two women who are on their backs and two others on the sides, who carry small containers, and who would be the priestesses or officiants in charge of the funerary cult of the ancestor. See more at ML013682 - Museo Larco.

Sculptural bottle Ceramic. Peruvian Northern Highlands. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE). Sculptural bottle (paccha) representing seated main character with headdress, circular ear muffs, circular bead necklace, face paint and tunic, holding baton and quadrangular shield, surrounded by five holding characters with tunic and belt, three holding glass and two holding seashell (Spondylus/Mullu). Representation of supernatural zoomorphic characters with appendages on their heads and radiant anthropomorphic heads with circular earflaps. See more at ML031715 - Museo Larco.

See also

• Amano Museum - Textiles
• Amano Museum - Ceramics
• Larco Museum - Textiles from Ancient Peru

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Sources

• Larco Museum - Wikipedia
• Museo Larco

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Location