Miniature Handled Jug with Spiral and Zigzag Motifs Possibly 400 - 1000

Curator: Isn’t this a sweet little thing? It’s a ceramic jug, likely dating from between 400 and 1000 CE. We attribute it to the Tiwanaku culture. They flourished in the area around Lake Titicaca, that’s the border region between modern-day Peru and Bolivia. Editor: You’re right, there’s something immediately charming about it. I think it's the small scale, maybe around 5 or 6 inches tall. And then, those earth-toned colours, mostly reds and browns... They feel like secrets unearthed. Curator: Absolutely. Think about how pottery itself carries stories. A jug like this wouldn’t have been made in isolation. It implies community, shared practices… And this jug is interesting because it carries many potent symbols that persist throughout time and across cultures. Spirals, zigzag lines, triangles – they tap into something very deep-seated within us. Editor: Spirals especially. Aren't they everywhere? DNA, galaxies… It feels intuitive, this yearning to trace our fingers along its curves. And those zigzags above remind me of mountains, stylized ones, or perhaps the path of lightning? Did Tiwanaku peoples use this sort of geometric vocabulary often? Curator: Very much so. Tiwanaku art, even on a grand scale, often uses these repetitive, symbolic forms to invoke balance, reciprocity, connection to the natural and spiritual worlds. Think of the cyclical nature of life, the turning of the seasons. Those spirals could evoke constant rebirth and transformation. Editor: Transformation held within something so small. Almost makes you want to pour a libation from it… or is that just me getting carried away? It's easy to forget these objects were functional. And, as an artist myself, I wonder about the artist. It speaks of patient, intuitive hand-work. Curator: Well, such patience in creating it should certainly inspire patience and thoughtfulness from us! Its presence helps us recall a whole world of symbolic forms, while appreciating both form and function in Indigenous Americas pottery-making. Editor: Exactly. Now when I see these little lines I imagine them to show movement and meaning in a tiny container of human artistry and culture. It certainly fills me with awe.