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exhibitions > recent: Of Land, Sea, and Sky
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Figural vessel of a Monkey Miniature strap-handled, spouted figural vessel in the form of a monkey wearing human clothing, grimacing and holding his paws together beneath his chin. Black pigment stripes decorate the handle and spout of the vessel. A significant portion of the surface painting remains on this piece, including white circular motifs on the arms and back. The monkey's mouth is open wide and enhanced with painted rings. Its ears are similarly decorated and bear ear ornaments. This monkey may be a marmoset, a species with reddish or blackish fur and rings around the tail. Animals were revered for their religious significance to the people of Vicus. Vicus is an archaeological site in northern Peru, which was discovered in 1961; materials found in the area surrounding Vicus date from 400 BC to 700 AD. Vicus ceramics were either unpainted redware or resist painted. Many Vicus examples resemble the earlier Moche culture, but the older Vicus pieces are the most pure examples of the Vicus style, that is the most stylized and abstract. The Vicus potters also copied motifs, like birds, fish, felines, and frogs from the Moche people. Scientific classification: "Callitrichidae" family. |
