Chancay Pottery Jar

Pre-Columbian Era, Chancay Culture, c. 1000–1470 AD, Peru

An exceptional hand-crafted large Chancay pottery jar, featuring an elegantly corseted neck, flared spout, and dual handles. The ovoid body rests on a rounded base and is adorned with bold geometric patterns, including parallel vertical stripes painted in a deep dark brown hue over a natural beige terracotta surface.

The Chancay civilization, flourishing along the central coast of Peru, is renowned for its distinctive pottery style, characterized by its unpolished matte surfaces and intricate painted designs. These ceramics, often discovered in extensive burial sites, were placed as funerary offerings, highlighting their spiritual and cultural significance. The gritty clay composition and signature black-on-white motifs define Chancay artistry, setting it apart from other pre-Columbian ceramic traditions.

This magnificent example of Chancay craftsmanship reflects the sophisticated artistic sensibilities of an ancient Andean civilization that thrived before the Inca conquest.

Excellent condition. Minor chipping to rim. Fractures. Minimal nicks and pitting, all commensurate with age. Encrustation. Size approx. 27,0cm x 16,5cm x 16,5cm. 

Provenance: private collection from Sweden.

For a similar examples see:

Small jars, loop handles at neck, ornamented, Harvard University, The Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, Accession Number: 75-20-30/8475 (http://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/259477)

Vase, The British Museum, Accession Number: Am1939,08.56 (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Am1939-08-56)