Pre-Columbian, Peru, Nazca, Phase 3 to 4, ca. 200 to 450 CE. A pretty kero (quero) with three bands of iconography around its exterior. Top and bottom feature bands of repeated trophy heads, a common motif in Nazca art, while the largest, central band features repeated foxes, one of the rarer decorative subjects. Here they are depicted with four limbs ending in pointed claws, a large head with long snout and sharp teeth, pointed ears, and, most distinctively, a wide, bushy tail. In many cultures, foxes are seen as tricksters, or evil omens; however, in the Andes, they are connected to agricultural fertility and are seen as the bearers of grains and plants. The earliest vessels from the Nazca also sometimes portray people wearing headdresses made from fox pelts, and archaeological finds from the Paracas culture, which predates the Nazca, confirm that fox pelts were worn if not by living humans, then at least by mummy bundles of their remains. These are thought to connect to religious ceremonies relating to the planting season. Size: 5.25" W x 6.2" H (13.3 cm x 15.7 cm)

Provenance: private New York, USA collection; ex Orlando, Florida, USA collection

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#127772

Repaired and restored, with overpainting on interior. Repairs are almost impossible to see.