Rare Chavin Double Fisherman Stirrup Vessel, TL Tested- Lot 69, Auction 10/11/2018
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Rare Chavin Double Fisherman Stirrup Vessel, TL Tested- Lot 69, Auction 10/11/2018

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Pre-Columbian, North Coast Peru, Jequetepeque River region, Chavin culture, Tembladera phase, ca. 1200 to 1000 BCE. A fabulous ceramic vessel depicting two fisherman sitting atop a pair of cylindrical rafts. Each figure has a stylized visage consisting of wide, ovoid eyes, broad ears adorn with perforated spools, perky noses, and simple headbands. The heads are bifurcated with a small incised line separating their mouths which are embellished with maroon pigment. The taller fisherman has an outward-turned head with one elbow resting atop a small gourd, and the other crouching figure looks pensively down at the raft while grasping a strap attached to a gourd vessel on his back. A narrow stirrup-shaped handle extends from the backs of the figures with a tubular spout in the center. This is an exceedingly rare style of early Chavin pottery which presents subtle detailing and a sophisticated presentation absent in most figural vessels from this culture. Size: 5.25″ L x 5″ W x 8.2″ H (13.3 cm x 12.7 cm x 20.8 cm).

The Chavin people lived in the northern Highland Andes, and their capital, Chavin de Huantar, is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The artwork of Chavin represents the first widespread artistic style in the Andes. The center of Chavin de Huantar is a massive, flat-topped pyramid, surrounded by lower platforms. Between 1200 and 500 BCE the pyramid space was used for religious ceremonies. The Old Temple, constructed very early in the history of the site, consists of a series of passageways built around a circular courtyard; within were carved stone monuments showing jaguars, serpents, and other figures with transformative and/or anthropomorphic figures.

Vessels like this example reveal a fascinating fact about the Chavin people: even though they lived in the uplands roughly 50 kilometers inland, fish and shellfish were still some of their major sources of protein and overall sustenance. They created wide-ranging trade networks with people located along the coast, and both subsistence and luxury goods were exchanged between the lowlands and the highlands. The Chavin were also able to traverse the Jequetepeque river for fish and other marine life when trade was slowed due to weather, war, or other circumstances. Coastal cemeteries far from the Chavin center contain vessels like this one created in Chavin and traded for food.

This vessel is intriguing due to both the subject matter and portrayal of its figures. The Chavin were adept at navigating the coastal waters of Peru as well as the inland waterways, and fishing was a necessary means of survival. Effigy pottery typically shows individuals in a positive light, often with upbeat presentations evocative of success or proliferation in the tasks at hand; this vessel, however, does not fit such archetypes. The fisherman shown here are sullen with melancholy expressions brought forth with blank eyes, tight mouths, and reserved poses. Each appears as though they have been unsuccessful in securing their catch, with the shorter figure endlessly waiting for any activity, and the taller figure looking backwards in the hopes of seeing any signs of movement in the surrounding waters. Perhaps it is hunger which causes their solemn expressions, or maybe the fear of returning to their village empty-handed. Whatever the case, the outlook for these two fishermen appears bleak at best.

This piece has been tested using thermoluminescence (TL) and has been found to be ancient and of the period stated. A full report will accompany purchase.

Condition: Small loss to tip of headdress on shorter figure. Surface wear and abrasions commensurate with age, very minor nicks to heads, spout, handle, and raft bodies, light fading to applied pigmentation, and light roughness across most lower surfaces. Nice earthen deposits throughout.

Provenance: ex-private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-Splendors of the World, Hawaii, USA; ex-Ian Arundel collection, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired in the 1960s

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all purchases.

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