As with much of the art of Ancient Peru, this vessel is concerned with the fertility of nature. A figure with an enlarged penis stands looking heavenward, as if asking favor of abundance, or perhaps it is a metaphor for rebirth and renewal. If one blows into the spout opposite, a shrill whistle issues forth, perhaps meant to attract the attention of the gods. The two friezes that circle the vases depict condors, considered as sacred in the Andean regions. Though the exact meaning of such a vase is lost in the mists of time, its aura of primitive magic still has the power to move us. HT. 19.6cm(7 3/4IN): L. 24.5cm(9 5/8IN)