The potters of ancient Peru created works of extraordinary beauty and technical virtuosity. Little is known about how such elaborately formed ceramics functioned in ancient Peruvian life. Some may have been reserved for religious and ceremonial use associated with burials. In most instances, however, they probably served a variety of household functions. Their rich and varied iconography helps us understand something of their world and suggests the importance of the surrounding flora and fauna, as well as the secular and supernatural realms in which the vessels may have functioned.
North and south coast styles differ in form and surface qualities. In southern Peru the emphasis was on polychrome surface decoration, vessels with round bottoms, and the double spout and bridge shape. Mixtures of clay, mineral pigments, and water were used to produce the various slips that so masterfully colored the surfaces of south coast vessels. In northern Peru, the emphasis was on three-dimensional sculpture, ceramic vessels with flat bottoms, and the stirrup spout bottle form. Certain features typical of north coast ceramic traditions emerged as early as 1800 b.c.e. and continued for millennia.
Vessel, prisoner
Peru
Moche
Ceramic
100 – 800 C.E.
H: 25 cm, W: 12 cm, D: 12 cm (H: 9.84, W: 4.72 in, D: 4.72 in)
Fowler Museum at UCLA. Gift of the Wellcome Trust. X65.10968
Object Name: Effigy jar
Artist: Unknown
Culture: Early Nasca
Place of Origin: Peru, south coast
Date/Era: 100 B.C.E. – 600 C.E.
Dimensions: DIAM: 33.0 cm, H: 51.5 cm (DIAM: 12.9 in, H: 20.3 in)
Medium/Materials: Ceramic
Credit Line: Fowler Museum at UCLA. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert L. Lucas, Jr.
Accession Number: X86.2883
Stirrup spout bottle, portrait head
Peru
Moche
Ceramic
100-800 C.E.
H: 27.3 cm, W: 12.8 cm, D: 18.8 cm (H: 10.7 in, W: 5.0 in, D: 7.4 in)
Fowler Museum at UCLA. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert L. Lucas, Jr. X86.3700
Object Name: Double spout and bridge bottle
Artist: Unknown
Culture: Nasca
Place of Origin: Peru, south coast
Date/Era: 100 B.C.E. – 600 C.E.
Medium/Materials: Ceramic
Dimensions: W: 17.5 cm, H: 18.2 cm, D: 17.5 cm (W: 6.8 in, H: 7.1 in, D: 6.8 in)
Credit Line: Fowler Museum at UCLA. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert L. Lucas, Jr.
Accession Number: X86.3720
Object Name: Stirrup spout bottle
Artist: Unknown
Culture: Tembladera
Place of Origin: Peru
Date/Era: 1800 – 100 B.C.E.
Dimensions: H: 25.5 cm, W: 18.5 cm, D: 24.0 cm (H: 10.0 in, W: 7.3 in, D: 9.4 in)
Medium/Materials: Ceramic
Credit Line: Fowler Museum at UCLA. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert L. Lucas Jr.
Accession Number: X88.812
Object Name: Spout and bridge whistle bottle
Artist: Unknown
Culture: Lambayeque
Place of Origin: Peru, north coast
Date/Era: 900 – 1430 C.E.
Medium/Materials: Ceramic, organic black pigment
Dimensions: H: 19.8 cm, W: 13.5 cm, D: 27.0 cm (H: 7.8 in, W: 5.3 in, D: 10.6 in)
Credit Line: Fowler Museum at UCLA. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert L. Lucas, Jr.
Accession Number: X88.822
Object Name: Stirrup spout bottle
Artist: Unknown
Culture: Lambayeque
Place of Origin: Peru, north coast
Date/Era: 900 – 1430 C.E.
Medium/Materials: Ceramic
Dimensions: H: 21.9 cm, W: 12.0 cm, D: 17.0 cm (H: 8.6 in, W: 4.7 in, D: 6.6 in)
Credit Line: Fowler Museum at UCLA. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert L. Lucas, Jr.
Accession Number: X88.823
Object Name: Jar
Artist: Unknown
Culture: Recuay
Place of Origin: Peru
Date/Era: 100 B.C.E. – 600 C.E.
Medium/Materials: Ceramic, organic black pigment
Dimensions: H: 19.8 cm, W: 11.0 cm, D: 15.0 cm (H: 7.7 in, W: 4.3 in, D: 5.9 in)
Credit Line: Fowler Museum at UCLA. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert L. Lucas, Jr.
Accession Number: X88.843
Jar
Peru
Huari Empire
Ceramic
600-900 C.E.
H: 31.5 cm, DIAM: 64.5 cm (H: 12.4 in, DIAM: 25.3 in)
Fowler Museum at UCLA. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert L. Lucas, Jr. X90.22
Object Name: Jar
Artist: Unknown
Culture: Wari
Place of Origin: Peru
Date/Era: 600 – 900 C.E.
Medium/Materials: Ceramic
Dimensions: H: 21.4 cm, W: 16.6 cm, D: 11.2 cm (H: 8.4 in, W: 6.5 in, D: 4.4 in)
Credit Line: Fowler Museum at UCLA. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert L. Lucas, Jr.
Accession Number: X90.488
Stirrup spout bottle
Moche style
Peru
Ceramic
100-800 C.E.
H: 29.0 cm, W: 18.0 cm, D: 16.0 cm (H: 11.4 in, W: 7.1 in, D: 6.3 in)
Gift of Helen and Dr. Robert Kuhn in honor of Dr. Christopher Donnan. X91.146
Object Name: Stirrup spout bottle
Artist: Unknown
Culture: Moche
Place of Origin: Peru, north coast
Date/Era: 100 – 800 C.E.
Medium/Materials: Ceramic
Dimensions: H: 24.9 cm, W: 18.5 cm, D: 22.0 cm (H: 9.8 in, W: 7.2 in, D: 8.6 in)
Credit Line: Fowler Museum at UCLA. Gift of Franklin D. and Judith H. Murphy.
Accession Number: X96.8.62