ceramic, terracotta
ceramic
form
geometric
ceramic
terracotta
indigenous-americas
This ceramic vessel was created by the Inca people and is now housed at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The vessel is constructed with earth tones of brown, tan, and red, which create a visual experience of groundedness and connection to the earth. The vessel presents a study in geometric forms and their arrangement. Notice how the shape of the vessel itself – with its rounded body and elongated neck – creates a balance between volume and line. The vertical bands and diamond patterns serve not only as decoration but also as a structural element, guiding the eye and reinforcing the vessel's symmetry. This interplay between surface design and form suggests the Inca’s refined understanding of visual language. The use of repeated patterns and geometric abstraction invites us to consider how art can function as a form of encoding knowledge, beliefs, and social structures. The overall effect is one of understated elegance and thoughtful design.
Comments
Urpu, a distinctively Inka vessel shape, is characterized by a pointed base, bulbous body, low handles, long, slender neck, and flaring rim. The pointed bottom helped balance the vessel in a depression in the earth. Rope was threaded through the handles and around the lug, then strapped onto porters' backs for transport. Rather than adopting the word urpu from the local Quechua language, early archaeologists called this type of vessel aryballos, a name borrowed from an ancient Greek vase form illustrated here in a line drawing. Urpu were produced in and around the Inka capital of Qosqo (Cuzco) for use in making, storing, and transporting food and beverages, in particular chicha or fermented maize beer.
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