Flute Incised with Geometric Design
1200–1450
Medium
Ceramic
Dimensions
18.4 × 5.1 cm (7 1/4 × 2 in.)
Classification
blackware (black basaltes)
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
91684
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of the Chimú with this exquisite *Flute Incised with Geometric Design*, crafted between 1200 and 1450 on Peru's north coast. The Chimú, masters of pre-Columbian artistry before their conquest by the Inca around 1470, produced sophisticated ceramics that reflected their advanced society, known for grand cities like Chan Chan and intricate craftsmanship. This small yet striking piece, measuring just 18.4 × 5.1 cm, belongs to the museum's Arts of the Americas at the Art Institute of ChicagoFashioned from blackware ceramic—achieved through a reduction firing process tha...
About the Artist
Chimú
The Chimú, a preeminent pre-Columbian culture of Peru's northern coast, flourished from approximately 900 to 1470 CE as the Kingdom of Chimor, emerging in the wake of the Moche civilization's decline and incorporating influences from the Sican, Wari, and Cajamarca cultures. Centered in the vast adobe metropolis of Chan Chan—the largest city in the Americas before the Inca, housing up to 60,000 peo...