Double-Chambered Vessel with Serrated Stirrup Spout in Form of Human Head
1200–1450
Medium
Ceramic
Dimensions
H.: 16.2 cm (6 3/8 in.)
Classification
blackware (black basaltes)
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
9111
Art Historical Context
This striking Double-Chambered Vessel with Serrated Stirrup Spout in Form of Human Head hails from the Chimú culture of Peru's north coast, crafted between 1200 and 1450 CE. Standing just 6 3/8 inches tall, this blackware ceramic exemplifies the Chimú mastery of pottery, achieved through a reduction firing process that yields its glossy, basalt-like black surface. The innovative double-chambered design, connected by a distinctive stirrup spout topped with a serrated edge and modeled human head, reflects the technical ingenuity of pre-Columbian Andean artisans. The Chimú, who built the vast ad...
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...