Description:

Pre-Columbian, Peru, Sican (Lambayeque), ca. 9th to 11th century CE. A finely modeled blackware jar featuring the head of Naylamp, the mythical founder of the Lambayeque dynasty, rendered with a stern visage and large, circular eyes. His tall, tapered headdress rises to form the spout of the vessel, uniting iconography and function in a striking sculptural design. The head is flanked on either side by modeled animals, likely canines or felines, guardians of liminal realms in Andean belief. A bird with a raised head perches upon the ribbon-form handle, bridging the jar's spherical body and spout, its presence further enriching the symbolic layering of the piece. The vessel sits atop a flared pedestal base, its rim encircled with incised and relief-carved geometric ornament. The polished black surface reflects the mastery of Sican ceramicists, whose reduction-fired blackware became a hallmark of their artistry. Size: 6" L x 5.3" W x 7.5" H (15.2 cm x 13.5 cm x 19 cm)

Vessels depicting Naylamp and his associated symbols were not merely decorative; they embodied dynastic legitimacy, divine authority, and the cosmological narratives that underpinned Lambayeque power. This jar would likely have held ritual significance, serving as a vessel for offerings or as a funerary accompaniment in elite burials.

Provenance: private Naples, Florida, USA collection, acquired as a gift in the 1980s; ex-private Chicago, Illinois, USA collection

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#197565

  • Condition: Repair to foot with break line and adhesive visible. Chipping to spout and surface wear as shown. Otherwise, nice presentation with impressive detail and scattered earthen deposits throughout.

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October 17, 2025 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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