A FINE EXAMPLE OF A PRE-COLUMBIAN POLYCHROME INCA ARBALLOS FROM PERU

Description

Culture: Inca Empire Origin: Northern Peru Age: Ca. 1450 A.D. - 1534 A.D. DESCRIPTION: A finely proportioned polychrome Inca aryballos. The overall height is 10” and it measures 8” from the outside of each of the two handles.. One side features profuse elegant design elements including many geometric motifs such as dark brown hanging triangles enclosed within wide bands, areas of checkerboard designs, quadrangles graduated in size with the largest toward the base. Each of the three is accentuated by a wide creamy/yellow wide band further enclosing a pale cinnamon area with a dark brown center accent as well as vertical wide white bands circling the base of the elongated upper neck and near the pointed base. The opposite side of the jar has a wide unadorned pale cinnamon upper band and a horizontal chocolate brown wide line circling the lower level. The upper spout sports a row of hanging triangles circling the entire piece. The matching handles on each side are painted a dark brown. There are areas of wear to the paint due to ancient usage but the body is intact and unrestored. A minor paint enhancement by a restorer would bring it back to its original perfection but I have chosen to leave it “as found” as many collectors prefer this to any form of recent restoration. It is tall and elegant and would compliment even the finest Pre-Columbian collection. Ex. Private Canadian Collection.