Lot 4A
Pre-Columbian, North Coast of Peru, Chimu-Inca culture, ca. 12th to 15th century CE. A compelling and expressive blackware vessel molded in the form of a human head with puffed cheek, a telltale sign of coca leaf chewing - a gesture both habitual and sacred in the ancient Andes. With its pronounced brow, incised almond-shaped eyes, and a softly modeled mouth turned subtly to one side, the face is rendered with a dignified stillness. The cheek bulge, carefully sculpted, records the act of chacchar or acullicar - the ritual chewing of coca leaves - whose bitter tang and gentle stimulation allowed Andean peoples to endure high-altitude labor, hunger, and fatigue. Its significance was not merely physical: coca offered connection to Pachamama (the Earth) and the apu (mountain spirits), becoming central to ceremony, exchange, and daily sustenance alike. Size: 7.8" L x 8.6" W x 11.2" H (19.8 cm x 21.8 cm x 28.4 cm)
This molded vessel is a classic example of Chimu-Inca ceramic art. The figure wears a snug-fitting helmet cap decorated with etched geometric motifs including horizontal bands, stepped designs, and circle-punctuated panels. The surface bears the gray-black hue typical of Chimu wares, likely fired in a reducing atmosphere. Raised ears project from either side of the rounded form, while the wide spout rises from the crown of the head like a portal for breath or spirit.
Though crafted centuries ago, this jar participates in a long tradition of coca iconography. From Valdivian effigies in Ecuador to Moche portrait vessels and Inca metal figurines, the bulged cheek was a visual shorthand for both labor and reverence. This vessel, emerging from one of the great cities of the pre-Columbian world - perhaps even Chan Chan itself - preserves the intimate habit of the coca ritual in enduring clay.
Cf. Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University (1989.008.043), Museo Larco (ML031671), Cleveland Museum of Art (1920.256), and American Museum of Natural History (B/8875).
Provenance: Collection of Y. Kayvan, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired from a Los Angeles, California, USA gallery acquisition dates range from the late 1990s to 2005
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#195477
- Condition: Professionally repaired with restoration over break lines; all done very well and difficult to notice. Some abrasions and weathering to surface with small areas of missing stippling, commensurate with age. Otherwise, excellent presentation with good remaining detail.
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