Jar with Textile-Like Pattern and Handle in Form of an Animal Possibly 1000 - 1476

This Chancay jar features a textile-like pattern and a handle shaped like an animal. The checkered design speaks of order and structure, echoing the intricate weaving traditions of the Andean cultures. The animal form climbing the jar invites us to explore the persistent motif of the animal as a bridge between worlds. Consider the lizard, clinging to the vessel. Across cultures, reptiles have been symbols of regeneration and transformation, and this symbolic animal climbing to reach the top evokes an ascent from the terrestrial to the sacred. It is a motif found in ancient Egyptian art, where animals guide souls to the afterlife. The jar serves as a canvas where the mundane meets the mythical, a common trait in art across the ages. The symbols recur, each iteration echoing a deep-seated human yearning for connection, understanding, and meaning.