Pre-Columbian, North Coast Peru, Chavin, ca. 1200 BCE. A masterfully executed stirrup vessel, its classic form comprised of a rounded body and an ample stirrup handle, its exterior walls presenting beautiful contrasts between the stone polished motifs and earthen hued background. The figural motifs include multiple zoomorphs - perhaps jaguar (looking upward at the top) and avians - that are exquisitely rendered in a stylized manner. Size: 6.5" in diameter x 7.25" H (16.5 cm x 18.4 cm)
Jaguar imagery symbolized power and might throughout the Pre-Columbian world; hence, warriors, rulers, hunters, and shamans alike associated themselves with this king of beasts, the largest and most powerful feline in the New World. Birds, as animals of the sky world, were thought to serve as messengers between the deities and humankind.
The Chavin people lived in the northern Highland Andes, and their capital, Chavin de Huantar, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The artwork of Chavin represents the first widespread style in the Andes. The center of Chavin de Huantar is a massive, flat-topped pyramid, surrounded by lower platforms. Between 1200 and 500 BCE the pyramid space was used for religious ceremonies.
Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-private Hans Juergen Westermann collection, Germany, collected from 1950 to1960s
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#162974
Condition
Minute nicks to rim of spout. Professionally repaired and restored from several pieces, but very difficult to discern. Surface wear with expected scuffs, abrasions, and nicks commensurate with age.