Lot 165
Pre-Columbian, Peru, North Coast, Lambayeque/Chimu culture, ca. 700-1200 CE. The whistling vessel was a technological phenomenon that manifested quite creatively in Pre-Columbian ceramics. This impressive mold-made double vessel with conical spouts joined by a flattened bridge and footed bottoms adorned with a geometric motif belongs to a long tradition of musical and ceramic art forms in the new world. Atop one spout sits a miniature temple providing a glimpse at the ancients' architectural tradition. The vessel boasts an attractive smoky brown-grey burnished finish with shades of red and charcoal smoke clouds elegantly complicating the surface and hints of a geometric design painted in black on the bulbous bodies of the piece. Several years after the Spanish arrived, these forms ceased to be made. Surprisingly little is known about the actual roles these pieces played. While most aspects of life - spiritual ceremonies, warfare, atheletics, and even sexual practices - have been delineated in painted and sculpted scenes on pottery from most Pre-Columbian cultures, not one representation showing the use of a whistling water jar has been recorded. While archaeologists have acknowledged the existence of these unusual ceramic invention, there is an unfortunate paucity of research documenting their development or use. Their mystery has yet to unfold!
Provenance: Ex-Gilbert Martin Collection, Georgia, USA
All items offered for sale are legal to buy/sell under U.S. statutes covering cultural patrimony per United States Code 2600, CHAPTER 14 -- CONVENTION ON CULTURAL PROPERTY, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids, papered by our parent company, Artemis Gallery Ancient Art.
- Condition: Minor restoration at on spout and slight chipping on feet. Else intact and excellent to near choice.
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| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,000 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $25,000 |