This magnificent vessel depicts a creature that seems half-human, half-owl. The separation of the two parts appears deliberately vague, as if to suggest that this is a spiritual portrait rather than a mere costumed image. In ancient Peru, warriors affiliated themselves with clans or societies named for fierce or swift animals. The owl was famed as a predator and for its ability to see in the dark. As in western society, it was associated with wisdom, as well as with medicine and death. This owl-man possesses an alert and regal dignity; he is clearly an individual of rank and importance. From such glues as this, we catch a fascinating glimpse of a vanished world.