Bowl
Unknown Artist
300–100 BCE
Medium
Ceramic
Dimensions
H. 3 7/8 × Diam. 4 7/8 in. (9.8 × 12.4 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
63.232.99
Art Historical Context
This elegant ceramic bowl, crafted by an unknown Paracas artist between 300 and 100 BCE, offers a glimpse into the daily life of one of ancient Peru's most intriguing pre-Inca cultures. The Paracas people, who thrived along Peru's southern coast, were masterful potters whose vessels served both practical purposes—like holding food or liquids—and ritual ones. Dating to the Late Paracas phase, this bowl reflects a time of cultural flourishing before the rise of the Nazca civilization. Made of fired clay, the bowl stands just under 4 inches tall with a diameter of nearly 5 inches, its compact fo...