Bowl with Repeated Stepped Motif c. 180 - 500

This bowl was made by an artist from the Nazca culture of ancient Peru, likely between 100 BCE and 800 CE. It is made of ceramic material that has been painted with a stepped motif. The stepped design is visually striking, but what does it mean? It may represent the mountains that were central to the Nazca people’s way of life. Their society depended on agriculture in a very arid climate, so they developed sophisticated irrigation systems. Mountains were also seen as sacred places, and the stepped design may be a symbolic representation of these beliefs. We can see how the image creates meaning through these cultural references and historical associations. The bowls were typically used for food and drink. They were sometimes placed in tombs as offerings to the dead. Archaeological research into burial sites is essential to better understanding the cultural and religious practices of the Nazca people. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.