Fine Chavin Brownware Stirrup Vessel - Conch Form

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Pre-Columbian | Tribal | Ethnographic

By Artemis Gallery

Apr 25, 2019

Set Reminder 2019-04-25 10:00:00 2019-04-25 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Pre-Columbian | Tribal | Ethnographic https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/pre-columbian-tribal-ethnographic-4035
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• Lot Description
  Pre-Columbian, North Coast Peru, Chongoyape, Tembladera phase, ca. 1200 to 1000 BCE. A fabulous mold-formed brownware pottery bottle with a flat base, a bulbous ovoid body, a wide stirrup-shaped handle, and a cylindrical spout with an everted lip. The body of the highly-burnished vessel depicts a large conch shell of a stylized form with coiled points projecting laterally on either end. The top shell layer is incised with intricate curvilinear striations, perhaps symbolizing the head and interior body of the animal itself, and each detail is liberally rubbed with vivid red cinnabar. Shell effigy vessels would have been used in ceremonial or ritual contexts, as many ancient Peruvian cultures featured conch shells in creation myths. Size: 6.875" W x 8.375" H (17.5 cm x 21.3 cm).
  
  The stirrup vessel form is named for the stirrup for horseback riding. In addition to being iconographically rich, these vessels were also practical. Their narrow openings prevented rapid evaporation of the precious liquid within - a great advantage given the extremely dry deserts of Peru. Note also that the shape of the neck made it easy to carry. Two stirrup vessels could be tied to the ends of a cord and suspended over a llama's back or a person's shoulder.
  
  The Chavin civilization is generally regarded as the Andean mother civilization - oftentimes compared to the Olmec of Mexico. Both the Chavin and the Olmec cultures created the earliest Pre-Columbian visual culture that continued to flourish until European contact in the 16th century. Using molds and modeling the forms by hand, the Chavin made numerous stirrup-spout vessels like this example. Scholars have suggested that the indigenous used them to store fermented corn beer or "chicha".
  
  For an example with stylistically-similar incised details, please see: Clifford, Paul A., Elizabeth P. Benson, and Lois Katz, et al. "Art of the Andes: Pre-Columbian Sculptured and Painted Ceramics from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections." The Arthur M. Sackler Foundation and The AMS Foundation for the Arts, Sciences and Humanities. Washington, D.C., 1983, p. 57, fig. 20b.
  
  Provenance: private Colorado, USA collection; ex-Tom Browner collection, Ohio, USA, acquired at auction
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
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  #143769

  Condition

  Minor abrasions to body, handle, spout, and base, with light softening to some finer details, fading to areas of red cinnabar, light encrustations within some recessed areas, and stable hairline fissures around base of one side of handle, otherwise intact and excellent. Light earthen deposits and great traces of original cinnabar throughout.
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