Double Spout and Bridge Bottel Painted with Cream and Orange Slips
650–150 BCE
Medium
Ceramic and pigment
Dimensions
13.7 × 19.1 cm (5 3/8 × 7 1/2 in.)
Classification
earthenware
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
20276
Art Historical Context
This striking Double Spout and Bridge Bottle, crafted by artisans of the Paracas culture on Peru's south coast between 650 and 150 BCE, exemplifies the ingenuity of Pre-Columbian ceramics. Measuring just 13.7 × 19.1 cm, this earthenware vessel features a double-spout design connected by a bridge handle—a clever form that allowed liquids to be poured from one spout while air entered the other, preventing spills. Its surface is adorned with cream and orange slips, thin layers of pigmented clay applied before firing to create durable, vibrant colors that have endured for over two millennia. The ...