Bottle, Face
Unknown Artist
7th–4th century BCE
Medium
Ceramic
Dimensions
H. 5 5/8 × Diam. 7 in. (14.3 × 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
63.232.10
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the enigmatic *Bottle, Face*, a striking ceramic vessel from the Par culture of ancient Peru, dating to the 7th–4th century BCE. Standing just 5⅝ inches tall with a7-inch diameter, this compact container exemplifies the ingenuity of Pre-Columbian artisans in the Andes. Crafted from clay, it likely served both practical and ceremonial purposes, blending everyday utility with artistic expression through its distinctive face motif—a common theme in Paracas pottery that hints at portraiture or symbolic representation. Paracas ceramics, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department ...