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exhibitions > recent: Of Land, Sea, and Sky
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Vessel painted with Birds catching
Fish This vessel is painted with two large birds with wings flaring to the back, talons curled below, and large oval eyes in shades of red, orange, black, and gray-blue on cream colored ground. The shape of this piece is classic Nazca style; it decended from the earlier Paracas culture. The amount of detail in the surface decoration indicates that this piece is from Middle Nazca because much of the surface is covered with decoration, but the decoration is as busy as that of the Late Nazca style. These birds are water fowl because they are shown holding the fish they have caught in their beaks. The birds catching fish may represent the life giving force of the water. Birds depicted in this fashion are also thought to be associated with fertility. In ancient American cultures, the earth was related to the underworld through water birds and dogs.
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