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Vessel in the Form of a Spider Monkey

Culture Veracruz
Title Vessel in the Form of a Spider Monkey
Date 800–900
Medium Clay
Dimensions Object: 8 3/4 × 9 × 6 5/8 in. (22.2 × 22.9 × 16.8 cm)
Overall: 8 3/4 × 9 × 6 5/8 in. (22.2 × 22.9 × 16.8 cm)
Credit Line Raymond and Laura Wielgus Collection, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University
Accession Number 95.23

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About this Work

This charming vessel may simply represent the spider monkey, an animal which ancient Mesoamericans enjoyed because of its playfulness, or it may refer to a monkey deity, who was the patron of scribes, artists, musicians, and dancers. The liveliness of the vessel is aural as well as visual, for when the monkey is moved, it chatters with the rattling of a pebble or other small object sealed inside it.


Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.

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"Vessel in the Form of a Spider Monkey | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2024. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=95.23