Pre-Columbian, Northern Peru, Moche II, ca. 200 CE. A pottery vessel in the form of a human leg with a stirrup spout, depicting a leg bent at the knee, toes clearly delineated on the foot. Some faded traces of multi ring decoration. Scattered mineral deposits on the surface. The Moche depicted so many aspects of life and death in their pottery. Violence certainly played a role in almost every ancient culture; however the Moche were notoriously brutal. We know from other pottery examples that they engaged in battle and held captives in bondage. Beyond this, according to scholars, they dismembered their victims' bodies starting with their hands and ending with their feet, flayed their skins, and drank their blood from pottery vessels such as this stirrup jar. An unusual piece that sparks one's imagination! Size: 7.5" W x 5.875" H (19 cm x 14.9 cm)

Provenance: Ex-private K. Tiernan collection, CO. Ex-private New York collection acquired at Arte Primitivo

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#111131

Small repaired hole in the knee with several restored hairlines extending from the hole, four toes reattached with some loss along the breaklines, nicks to the surface as shown, several repaired pock marks. Generous mineral deposits on the surface.