lifeafterlife

		RECUAY North Highlands 100 - 700 CE EFFIGY POT WARRIOR WITH LLAMA LMA 6649 Size: cm tall Manufacture: Modelled Surface: Negative painting in cream, red and black Firing: Oxidizing
A common form of vessel in the Recuay culture was the warrior and his llama. This indicates the importance of warfare during this period. The rather cylindrical, almost telescoping, body of the warrior reveals that it was constructed in pieces. The typical color scheme of the Recuay remains, with buff-colored clay forming the ground, and details being added in red, black and white. The headdress of the warrior would have, in real life, been fashioned from the feathers of colorful birds such as parrots and macaws, a tradition still employed today in the tropical rainforests of Peru and Ecuador.

		RECUAY North Highlands 100 - 700 CE EFFIGY POT HEAD-NECK MOTIF LMA 6646 Size: cm tall Manufacture: Modelled Surface: Negative painting in cream, red and black Firing: Oxidizing
Like the Nasca Phase 6 vessel in this exhibition, this is a good example of the “head and spout” pot. In such pots, the body of the vessel is not made to take human form, but retains its globular shape. The arms are simply painted onto this sphere to create the illusion of a human body, an illusion which is heightened by the addition of the head. Recuay ceramics have very thin walls, an indication of great skill. The decoration was created using resist techniques, in which areas of the surface were covered with a removable resin to protect and maintain the clay color. The areas of white were generally painted on after firing.

		RECUAY North Highlands 100 - 700 CE OFFERING VESSEL OFFERING CEREMONY LMA 6601 Size: cm tall Manufacture: Modelled Surface: Negative painting in cream, red and black Firing: Oxidizing
This is one of the more sophisticated Recuay vessels. A central figure of some importance is accompanied by three retainers, each of whom bear tiny offering cups. A larger opening on the back of the vessel allowed for beer to be poured into the vessel, after which it was poured out onto the ground in a ritual called the “chicha” ceremony. Corn beer was poured over Mother Earth in the hopes that the spirit or essence of the offering would be accepted by otherworldly powers, who would in turn favor the community. The decoration of the vessel, now barely visible, was achieved using resist painting.

		PARACAS South Coast 700 - 600 BCE BOWL JUAN PABLO FELINE MOTIF LMA 6654 Size: 25.5 cm diameter, 7 cm high Manufacture: Modeled Surface: Engraved and post-fired resin painted Firing: Oxidizing
This bowl has decoration which is characteristic of a site called Juan Pablo, which is some 50 kilometers north of Ocucaje. Two felines are depicted on this bowl. The design was incised into the clay after it had dried but before it was fired. After firing, the paint was applied to the surface of the bowl. Because this surface was now smooth and hard, the pigments were mixed with a resin to help them adhere better to the surface. The range of colors was also limited to natural pigments, usually organic rather than mineral.

		PARACAS South Coast 700 - 600 BCE STIRRUP POT JUAN PABLO FELINE MOTIF LMA 6695 Size: cm diameter Manufacture: Modeled Surface: Engraved and post-fired resin painted Firing: Oxidizing
This is a common vessel form for the Paracas. It includes a whistle spout, and has a modified version of the feline mask seen above to suit the shape of this vessel.

		PARACAS South Coast 700 - 600 BCE BOWL JUAN PABLO AVIAN MOTIF LMA 7241 Size: cm diameter Manufacture: Modeled Surface: Engraved and post-fired resin painted Firing: Oxidizing
The simplified avian motif in the center is framed by geometric decoration. On the exterior are guilloche motifs.

		PARACAS South Coast 700 - 600 BCE BOWL JUAN PABLO AVIAN MOTIF LMA 6985 Size: cm diameter Manufacture: Modeled Surface: Engraved and post-fired resin painted Firing: Oxidizing
In the avian motiv, a stylized eye and beak are evident on the right, while a wing tip can be seen at the far left.