Jar c. 14th century

Curator: Let's explore this Ngäbe or Guaymí Jar, dating from around the 14th century, housed here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It’s made of earthenware and ceramic. Editor: The geometric patterns are really striking. What do you make of the material choices and design? Curator: Thinking materially, what strikes me is how accessible earthenware is. This wasn't a material requiring immense wealth, like gold. The fact that it’s hand-formed ceramic also highlights labor, doesn’t it? Consider the person who dug the clay, prepped it, shaped the jar, painted it, and fired it. It speaks of skilled craftsmanship and community investment. Editor: So, it’s less about individual artistry and more about collective effort in making something both useful and beautiful? Curator: Exactly. The patterns might have held specific cultural meanings tied to the resources, social structures, and consumption practices of the Ngäbe people. The geometric design itself, while aesthetically pleasing, would have taken considerable skill and time. Editor: It makes you think about the economics of creating such a vessel. Were these traded? Sold? What was its function and its value within their society? Curator: Absolutely! And it’s important to consider its function beyond pure utility. Was it also a ritual object? What was the division of labor in ceramic production within the Ngäbe or Guaymí society? Those sorts of questions help us contextualize and appreciate it in new ways. Editor: Looking at it this way really changes my perspective. I was just seeing a pretty pot, but it's so much more. Curator: Precisely. It’s a tangible record of a people's skill, resourcefulness, and values, far from the rarefied world of "high art." Editor: Thanks, I now have a totally new perspective.