Lot 68d, Auction 4/12/2026: Moche Pottery Stirrup Vessel w/ Swirls – TL Tested

$910.00

In stock

Pre-Columbian, northern Peru, Moche culture, phase 2, ca. 300 to 400 CE. A finely burnished blackware ceramic stirrup-spout vessel, the globular body deeply modeled with a bold, swirling spiral design that wraps around both sides, possibly evoking water, wind, or cosmic motion in Moche iconography. It has been suggested this represents an octopus, a creature that would have certainly been in the menu and had supernatural abilities. The tall, cylindrical spout rises from the arched stirrup handle, a hallmark of North Coast ceramic tradition.

The vessel’s smooth surface and crisp relief demonstrate the high level of craftsmanship characteristic of Moche potters, whose works often carried symbolic meaning tied to ritual, nature, and cosmology. Size: 5.75″ W x 7″ H (14.6 cm x 17.8 cm)

This vessel has been tested using Thermoluminescence technology and dates to the period shown above. A report will accompany this piece.

Condition: Repaired from 3 pieces with repainting over the breaks. Appears choice.

Provenance: private Colorado, USA collection, ex Minerva Gallery, ex Merida collection Florida acquired prior to 1960.

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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