Pre-Columbian Nazca Polychrome Kero Vessel
Peru, ca. 200 BCE–600 CE

Finely painted Nazca pottery kero vessel of gently waisted cylindrical form, decorated in polychrome pigments with a complex mythological scene featuring stylized anthropomorphic and supernatural figures rendered in the classic Nazca palette of red, cream, black, orange, and purple. A repeating band of abstract motifs encircles the rim, while large mask-like faces with almond-shaped eyes decorate the lower register. The vessel exhibits the vibrant narrative style and masterful surface painting for which Nazca ceramics are renowned.

Provenance:
Ex Michela Bannon Collection, California.
Ex Private California Collection.

Dimensions:
Height: 5 1/2 in. (14 cm)

Condition:
Scattered areas of paint loss, surface wear, and abrasion consistent with age and burial. Minor mineral encrustations and deposits present.