Beaker

Physical description

Beaker of red earthenware painted in polychrome slips of buff, red, and brown. Inverted bell shape with a rounded base. Painted with a wide border of stylised spiky creatures with eyes processing around the top, alternately painted in red and dark brown outlined with black lines on a buff ground. Below two plain bands round the centre fall a row of spikey cactus-like pendants.

Place of Origin

Peru (made)

Date

100 BC - 600AD (made)

Artist/maker

Unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

Earthenware painted with slips

Dimensions

Height: 12.7 cm, Diameter: 12.4 cm

Object history note

According to a letter in the RF, dated 7/9/41 "Brought back by the late Rt.Hon. Sir Arthur Steel Maitland from La Paz in 1921" (Bolivia)

Historical significance: The development of the Nasca style over seven centuries has been divided into different periods. Decoration became more elaborate, more graphic and less naturalistic after the early period. The curious pattern here of alternating red and brown mythical creatures with either a single or a pair of eyes round the top half of this cup relate to common Nasca motifs of radiating elements and proliferations around a single eye, or around the face of a mythical being. On the bottom half, the stylised cactus pendant decoration may refer to the hallucinogenic drink made from the San Pedro cactus, perhaps suggesting a liquid it would have contained.

Historical context note

The Nasca people lived in Southern Peru in the desert valleys leading to the coast, and pottery produced by the Nasca Culture from ca.100 BC to 600 AD is some of the most accomplished of ancient Peru. Vessels were formed by coiling, drawing and shaping by direct modelling rather than the use of moulds. When the clay was nearly dry the surface was carefully burnished with a smooth stone or similar tool before firing to produce a smooth and shiny surface. Nasca decoration is characterised by skilled polychrome slip painting. Blocks of coloured slips were painted using brushes made from Llama or Alpaca fur and then the distinctive black outlines of the image were added on top.

Descriptive line

Beaker of red earthenware, painted, Peru, Nasca culture, 100 BC to 700 AD.

Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)

Christopher Donnan ,Ceramics of Ancient Peru Fowler Museum of Cultural History, University of California, LA 1992
Donald A. Proulx,A sourcebook of Nasca Ceramic Iconography, University of Iowa Press, 2006

Production Note

South coast of Peru, Nasca culture

Materials

Earthenware; Slip (coating)

Techniques

Painted

Subjects depicted

Eyes; Cactus (plant)

Categories

Ceramics; Earthenware

Collection code

CER