Moche Stirrup-Spouted Vessel with Marine Motifs, 1 CE - 300 CE
Terracotta
9.75
K.103
Further images
Moche artists were great observers of nature, rendering the flora and fauna of Ancient Peru with a lively sensitivity. This unusual bottle is adorned with images of marine life, including...
Moche artists were great observers of nature, rendering the flora and fauna of Ancient Peru with a lively sensitivity. This unusual bottle is adorned with images of marine life, including several varieties of fish, a shrimp, a frog, flower-like octopuses, and two cormorants, skilled fishing birds. Perhaps the person for whom this bottle was a tomb offering centuries ago made his living as a fisherman; the vessel would have served as an eternal reminder of the abundance of the sea. Though the culture that created it has vanished, we can still appreciate the intimate bond between man and nature that it celebrates.
Literature
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