Feline Mortar and Pestle
Unknown Artist
700–1 BCE
Medium
stone, pigment
Dimensions
5.8 × 11 cm
Classification
Stone
Department
Art of the Americas
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
In memory of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Humphreys, gift of their daughter Helen
Accession Number
1957.494
About this artwork
Size suggests that this Chavín-style mortar and pestle were not used to grind bulky staples like corn, but instead pigments or plant hallucinogens used in religious rites to achieve spiritual insight and communion with cosmic forces. This set may come from Pacopampa, a site in the northern highlands where elites adopted Chavín deities and worshiped them alongside local deities. These small sculptures illustrate the appeal and the spread of Chavín religion.