Bowl Depicting Row of Abstract Figures, Possibly Tadpoles c. 180 - 500

This bowl was made by an artist of the Nazca culture in ancient Peru. It is made from ceramic and painted with a series of abstract figures that may represent tadpoles. These kinds of images give us a glimpse into the social world of the Nazca people who lived in the arid coastal region of Peru. Because water was scarce, aquatic animals and water spirits were considered especially sacred and were often depicted on pottery, textiles, and other art forms. Bowls such as this one are examples of the kinds of ritual objects that were produced at sites of pilgrimage. These include Cahuachi which was the main ceremonial center of the Nazca. As art historians, we might draw on archaeological reports about ritual practices in the Nazca region to better understand how this bowl was used, and how its imagery would have been interpreted by its original audience.