Minneapolis Institute of Art

Vessel in the form of a man

Nasca artistLinkedCulture matchlcp-e8b28bbc22e0

Date

3rd century BCE–6th century CE

Medium

Clay, pigments

Culture

Nasca

Department

Arts of the Americas

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Object ID

653

This man wears face paint and a turban that are typical of Nazca adornments. Although his body is shapeless, his teeth are finely detailed, as is the trophy head in his hands. The painting surrounding the vessel's lower half is an elegant rendering in many colors of fish, starfish, and octopuses. Carefully preserved heads have been found in Nazca burials. Shown in art throughout the Nazca era, they are called trophy heads because they are assumed to be the products of war. Whether these heads represented conquered peoples or were associated with a ritual use is unclear. Nasca, Peru, Americas

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