Human-form Jar
Unknown artist, Chancay, Peru. Human-form Jar, 1100 - 1400 CE. Earthenware with colored slips, 19 x 11 inches. Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Otto Karl Bach, 1967.107.
Human-form Jar
Chancay
About A.D. 1100–1400
Peru, central coast
Earthenware with colored slips
Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Otto Karl Bach, 1967.107
Chancay ceramics, from Peru’s central coast, are usually covered with white slip, then decorated with brown linear patterns. Many large jars take the form of a seated man holding a small cup. His face is decoratively painted, and he wears a headdress, necklace, and ear spools. Testing of residues inside some of these jars reveal that they held corn-beer, known as chicha. Chicha, which is both nutritious and intoxicating, was essential to the success of both festive and ceremonial occasions. The slightly lopsided smile on the figure’s face suggests appreciation of the brew.
