Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art

About this Work

Chancay culture never demonstrated the political power of some of its contemporaries. It was conquered by Chimú around 1400 and, soon after, conquered again, this time by the Inca in 1450. Chancay arts, however, were widely traded throughout modern-day Peru, indicating that while the society did not have significant political power, its artists and craftsmen were highly valued.

Chancay ceramics tend to be black or dark brown and white, with simple forms. The most well-known form of Chancay ceramics are vessels with modeled human features and geometric designs. Sometimes these vessels only represent a human face or head while others depict the entire human body, such as this example. It is not well understood whom such vessels are depicting, though the headdresses and elaborate ornamentations indicate that they are persons of status.