Chancay Pottery Jar Fragments

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

A remarkable set of five pottery jar fragments, each hand-crafted and adorned with distinctive black or dark brown painted designs over a white slip. These unpolished ceramics, created from a gritty clay, showcase the iconic style of the Chancay civilization, which flourished along the central coast of Peru.

The Chancay are particularly noted for their mold-made pottery, often discovered in burial sites as funerary offerings. Their ceramics feature geometric patterns, stylized figures, and symbolic motifs, reflecting their rich cultural and artistic traditions. The matte surfaces and monochromatic palette are hallmarks of Chancay craftsmanship, setting them apart from other pre-Columbian pottery styles.

These fragments serve as tangible links to an ancient Andean civilization, offering insight into their aesthetic sensibilities, spiritual beliefs, and daily life. A fascinating glimpse into the artistic legacy of the Chancay people.

Moderate condition. Fragmented. Age-related heavy wear, chip and abrasion. Encrustation and dust. Size varies from 5,7cm to 13,0cm. Sell as a set.

Provenance: Former collection of the archaeologist Ferdinand Anton, Germany, combined between 1950 and 1965. Ferdinand Anton was born in 1929 in Munich, Germany. He made a living by writing richly illustrated books about the art objects and religious rituals of Pre-Columbian cultures: the Aztecs, the Maya, and Andean peoples of South America. He was an explorer who flew to South America and Mexico, and hiked to remote shrines where few Westerners had set foot. He wrote more than forty books.