Pre-Columbian, Peru, Chimu/Inca, ca. 1200 to 1500 CE. A spirited blackware pottery effigy stirrup vessel in the form of a jaguar standing squarely on all four paws with a curled tail. The wild cat's expressive visage is comprised of incised almond-shaped eyes, a wide nose with flaring nostrils, small ears, and a closed mouth. An adorable petite monkey sits upon the handle at the juncture between the stirrup and emerging vertical spout. The iconography of this vessel is highly symbolic. First off, the jaguar signified power and might throughout the Pre-Columbian world. Warriors, rulers, hunters, and shamans alike associated themselves with this king of beasts, the largest and most powerful feline in the New World. The principal deity of the Moche, whose ceramics inspired subsequent Peruvian cultures including the Chimu/Inca, wears a headdress adorned with a jaguar head and paws and important mortals donned similar headdresses. A nocturnal animal, the jaguar sleeps in caves and dark places and creeps quietly in the forest, evoking great mystery. In addition, monkeys have always fascinated humankind, with their zany antics that seem to mirror and at times parody humans. Understanding simian creatures as mimics of human culture, most ancients of the Americas regarded the monkey as a mediary between man and the supernatural. A lovely greyware vessel from these indigenous of ancient Peru, impressive for its artistry, technical prowess, and layered symbolism! Size: 8.5" L x 4.25" W x 10.125" H (21.6 cm x 10.8 cm x 25.7 cm)

Provenance: Ex-Slavin collection, Venice, CA

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#118591

Left legs & tip of tail reattached. Chips to rim of spout, jaguar's left ear, and monkey's face.