Bowl
Unknown Artist
6th–3rd century BCE
Medium
Ceramic, post-fired resin paint
Dimensions
H. 3 3/4 × Diam. 7 in. (9.5 × 17.8 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Containers
Culture
Paracas
Department
Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Nathan Cummings, 1963
Accession Number
63.232.4
Art Historical Context
This elegant ceramic bowl hails from the Paracas culture of ancient Peru, dating to the 6th–3rd century BCE. The Paracas people, who thrived on Peru's southern coast, were masterful artisans renowned for their vibrant textiles and pottery. This shallow, wide-mouthed vessel (H. 3 3/4 × Diam. 7 in.), likely used for serving food or rituals, exemplifies their skill in creating functional yet beautifully decorated containers during a formative period in Andean prehistory. Crafted from ceramic and adorned with post-fired resin paint—a distinctive Paracas technique—the bowl's surface would have bee...