Lot 114
Pre-Columbian, Central Andes, Inca culture, ca. 15th to early 16th century CE. A rare carved wood kero from the Inca Empire, this ceremonial drinking vessel presents a powerful fusion of geometric abstraction and anthropomorphic form. Cylindrical in shape with a flaring rim and flat base, the kero is richly carved with rhythmic triangular and diagonal motifs, its surface animated by a symmetrical and striking janiform design. Two stylized anthropomorphic heads face opposite directions along the upper register of the vessel, each modeled in bold low relief with prominent triangular noses, inlaid white shell hoop eyes, and open mouths bearing gritted teeth. Their expressions are intense and purposeful, with the unblinking shell eyes lending a sense of spiritual alertness or ancestral presence. Between the heads, on the vessel's flanks, are two red shell inlays in the shape of simple squares - likely spondylus shell, a material associated with fertility, prestige, and ritual in Andean belief systems. Size: 2.7" Diameter x 3.5" H (6.9 cm x 8.9 cm)
The rest of the body is covered in carefully incised geometric motifs, arranged in repeating panels that alternate diagonals and nested triangles. This visual language is consistent with other known Inca kero decoration, symbolizing order, hierarchy, and duality. The janiform design itself may represent the Inca concept of complementary opposites - day and night, upper and lower, male and female - a theme echoed throughout imperial cosmology and statecraft.
Used in the ritual consumption of chicha (maize beer), keros such as this one served not only as functional vessels but also as instruments of political ceremony and spiritual exchange. The inclusion of shell and symbolic faces suggests a vessel made for high-status use - possibly presented as tribute or used in ceremonies overseen by imperial administrators. Compact yet potent, this kero speaks in the dual language of ritual and empire - its carved symmetry, gritted teeth, and inlaid eyes reflecting a worldview built on balance, power, and sacred vision.
Provenance: private Aliso Viejo, California, USA collection, acquired 2010; ex-Artemis Gallery, Louisville, Colorado, USA; ex-C. Pipes Collection, Sevierville, Tennessee, USA
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#195873
- Condition: Some stable fissures, with nicks and abrasions to surface, commensurate with age. Otherwise, intact and excellent with rich patina, good remaining decoration, and nice preservation of inlays.
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