Chancay Pottery Standing Female China, Ca 1200-1450 CE, #1039
$ 3,175.80
Pre Colombian
Very Tall Chancay Pottery Standing Female China, Ca 1200-1450 CE,
1039. Description: Pre Colombian Very Tall Chancay Pottery Standing Female China, Peru, ca. 1200 to 1450 CE. This is a very large, hollow made pottery figure in the classic Chancay style, showing a standing figure with wide eyes, small nose and mouth, and facial decorations that are representative of either scarification or tattooing - or possibly a beard, although a slit on the body seems to suggest the figure is female. It wears a headband and has dark hair. Its short arms are thrown out to the side and feet are broad and have delineated toes.
Piercings along the top of the headband may have had rings, feathers, or other decoration in them at some point. Chancay ceramics have been found mainly in the cemeteries of the Ancon and Chancay valleys; this pottery seems to have been produced on a large scale using molds. Their pottery would start with a rough matte surface that would be painted later in contrasting cream, brown, and black. Egg-shaped figures like this one, with geometric decoration around the face and head, are some of the most common figures found. Comes with custom stand.
Dimensions: 8.6" W x 16.2" H (21.8 cm x 41.1 cm)
Condition: Intact with much pigment remaining. Old accession sticker on underside of one foot.
Provenance: Ex-Private Atlanta, GA collection, ex Thibadeau collection acquired 1960 to 1980
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all purchases.
Some background on the Chancay Culture
The Chancay culture (1200-1450 A.D.) reigned mainly in the valleys of Chancay and Chillon on the middle coast of Peru. In the early 15th century the Chimú state conquered parts of southern Chancay area, and round about the year 1450 the Incas occupied both areas.
The best-known of the Chancay artifacts are textiles that consist of embroidery work, paint-decorated fabrics, gauze's and three-dimensional groups of dolls. Among others, shades of yellow and brown, scarlet, white, lavender-blue and olive green were the colors used. Birds and a deity wearing a crescent-like headdress have been the most popular decorative motifs. Thousands of Chancay textiles have been preserved to this day, so their ancient production must have been remarkably extensive. However, the quality of the textile material has not suffered from this, and the Chancay material is always well finished off and carefully made.
The Chancay ceramics is made with mould, matt-surfaced and almost without exception white and black. The Chancay vessels are often big and rather peculiar in form. Especially a large egg-shaped jar is common. In addition to vessels, dolls that are quite big, too, and often represent the female sex have been made from clay. Their face and often the upper part of the body have been covered with geometric ornaments. Geometric ornamentation and a strong simplification of animal and human motifs are part of the typical features of the Chancay ceramics. (Source: taide museo)
