Pre-Columbian, Peru, Inca, ca. 1300 to 1500 CE. A remarkable pottery stirrup vessel featuring the Andean god Ai Apec as the corn god. Portrayed traditionally with feline eyes and jaguar fangs, the deity is shown seated and surrounded by ears of corn. He holds additional crops in both hands as a necklace, perhaps made from corn kernels, adorns his clavicle. One of the most important crops in the ancient Andes, corn held sacred associations. The crop was typically fermented to make chicha, a frothy beverage consumed at ceremonial occasions and celebrations, and was also pounded into flour to make many staple food products of the Andean diet. Chicha and maize flour were frequently left as offerings to departed relatives and the gods. This vessel may illustrate a fascinating story from Moche mythology: Ai Apec, the creator god, returns from the underworld and manifests as various plants that flourish in the world of the living - notably corn. Size: 5.6" W x 7.8" H (14.2 cm x 19.8 cm)

Provenance: ex-Marc Amiguet Schmitt estate, Amiguet's Ancient Art, Evansville, Indiana, USA, acquired prior to January 1, 2010

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#173334

Professionally repaired with restoration and repainting in areas. A few small nicks to surface. Otherwise, excellent presentation with nice detail and vibrant pigments.