Roller and Flat Stamps
Unknown Artist
9th–15th century
Medium
Ceramic
Dimensions
H. 4 × W. 3 1/2 × D. 2 5/8 in. (10.2 × 8.9 × 6.7 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Implements
Culture
Manteño
Department
Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Margaret B. Zorach, 1980
Accession Number
1980.34.30
Art Historical Context
Step into the inventive world of the Manteño culture from Ecuador's Pacific coast with *Roller and Flat St*, ceramic tools dating from the 9th to 15th century. Crafted by an unknown artist, these small implements—measuring just 4 inches high—belong to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection of Arts of Africa,, and the Americas, by Margaret B. Zor in 1980. The Manteño people, flourishing in what is now Manabí during this late pre-Columbian era, master potters renowned for their sophisticated ceramics. These stamps exemplify practical artistry: the roller stamp, with its cylindrical form, a...