Pre-Columbian Chancay Llama pottery vessel
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- $250.00
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Pre-Columbian Chancay Llama pottery vessel, dating to approximately 1000-1400 CE, is a remarkable ceramic artifact from the Chancay culture of the central coast of Peru. Crafted from light-colored clay with dark painted decoration, this vessel is shaped in the form of a stylized llama, an animal of great significance in Andean society, symbolizing wealth, transportation, and ritual offerings.
The vessel's body is elongated and rounded, with a hollow interior, allowing it to function as a container or effigy vessel. Its surface is adorned with a combination of spotted and striped patterns, applied in dark slip, which may mimic the natural markings of llamas or have symbolic meaning related to fertility, movement, or protection. A small circular opening on its side suggests it may have also functioned as a whistle or sound-producing vessel, commonly found in Chancay ceramics.
The head is finely modeled, featuring large expressive eyes, short curved ears, and a slightly protruding snout, all rendered with simple but effective detailing. The slender neck and four small legs add to its charm, making it an elegant representation of the camelid species that were essential to Andean trade and economy.
Vessels like this were often used in ceremonial contexts, possibly as offerings to the gods, grave goods for the elite, or ritual containers for liquids such as chicha (corn beer) or sacred substances. The artistic simplicity and geometric decoration are characteristic of the Chancay pottery tradition, which favored abstract yet highly symbolic representations of animals and deities. 7 5/8 in length x 3 1/8 in height.
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