Lot 1
Pre-Columbian, Northern Highlands of Peru, Chavin Culture, ca. 900 to 500 BCE. A striking example of early Andean ceramic innovation, this stirrup-spout vessel from the Chavin culture demonstrates the sophisticated aesthetic and technical refinement of one of Peru's most influential early civilizations. Molded from fine brownware with a burnished surface, the vessel features a rounded rectangular body rising to a classic double-arched stirrup handle capped by a single vertical spout. The vessel's surface is dramatically ornamented with textured, basket-like incisions that form a dense matrix across the upper body and handle, contrasting with smooth zones below. These panels are framed by narrow relief ridges that define abstract curvilinear motifs - swirling elements that echo the sinuous lines typical of Chavin iconography, associated with transformation, shamanic vision, and cosmic dualities. Size: 4.6" L x 4" W x 8" H (11.7 cm x 10.2 cm x 20.3 cm)
The form and iconography of the stirrup vessel suggest both practical and symbolic functions. Its shape limited evaporation and spillage, while its intricate surface decoration likely held ritual or cosmological significance. The vessel may have served as a container for chicha or other sacred substances used in ceremonial contexts at sites such as Chavin de Huantar, a major pilgrimage center in the highlands. Chavin ceramics like this were precursors to many Andean traditions that followed, and they exhibit an early mastery of both three-dimensional form and symbolic surface design. This piece's confident geometry, carefully incised patterning, and monumental presence mark it as a refined and culturally resonant object from a formative era of Andean art.
Provenance: private Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA collection; ex-Bill & Carol Thibadeau collection, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; ex-Gerardo Roca collection, New York, USA, early 1990s
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#195320
- Condition: Professionally repaired with restoration and repainting over break lines; all done very well and difficult to notice. Small stable fissure near base of spout and chip to rim, but otherwise, excellent presentation with nice preservation of detail.
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