Intermediate Ancient Period
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The Intermediate Ancient Period (200 B. C. - 550 A. D.)
The Intermediate Ancient Period indicates the time when the various authorities or theocratic states asserted themselves at a regional level. There was a vast cultural movement that expressed itself differently from zone to zone.
The most popular social system remained that of a ceremonial centre that has different human groups aggregated around it, who comply with the laws of the former, accepting the cultural and religious systems.
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The Intermediate Ancient Period (200 B. C. - 550 A. D.)
This period is characterised by the birth and consolidation of regional traditions and the formation of a complex society that controls the territory. A high level of craftsmanship and artistic specialisation was reached in this period. |
The Objects |
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Bottle with two spouts and with a bridge handlePeru, Southern coast, First Intermediate Period, Nasca culture, Phase III, I -III centuries A.D. Modelled terracotta, slipped and painted, oxidative fired. 14,5x12 cm. Terracotta with a concave base, dark red slip-veneer, decorated with black, cream, red and grey-green colours. The scene at the middle line shows a feline figure with snake features and lateral fins. The body contains stylised trophy heads. On the sides of the neck one can note the shapes of two plants. Often the feline figure is represented in the act of distributing the plants contained in the body: a symbol of fertility and opulence. |
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Zoomorphic trumpetSouthern coast of Peru, probably belonging to the Moche culture, V-VI centuries A.D., First Intermediate Period. Modelled terracotta. 30x8 cm. Sculptured trumpet representing a feline head, characterised by its
open jaws. Ears have been applied and the hollow head forms the
resonance chamber of the musical instrument. In the Moche culture the
trumpet was used during battles with other human groups. Battle was
incited with many musical instruments, as one can see from the
descriptive representations of scenes painted on the ceramics. |
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Portrait bottle with side handleSouthern coast of Peru, First Intermediate Period. Moche culture, Phase IV, V-VI centuries A.D.. Moulded terracotta with the application of the handle and spout, slipped and painted. 22x15x9 cm. Collection No. 5. Fine mixture, dark red slip-veneer, decorated with red, brown and
cream. Chamber created with a double vertical mould. Oxidative firing.
The bottle shows a person with straight hair in a “page-boy cut”, with
ear ornaments. Moche portrait vases are known throughout the world for
their realistic representation of the characters and their perfect
details. Some elements are however accentuated like the size of the
eyes and the large ears that refer to the feline or bird symbols. |
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Anthropomorphic flaskPeru, Southern plateau, Recuay culture, Ancient Horizon- First Intermediate Period, III century B.C. - VI century A.D. Terracotta that has been slip-veneered and painted using the "negative". 22.5x21x16.5 cm. Collection No. R41. The vessel with a conical-trunk chamber has five heads of important ruling people on its back, one for each vessel. In the centre there is a larger figure, with bird-like headgear probably depicting the dead person in the ceremony shown. On the sides one finds other characters participating in a ritual toast. Red slip-veneer with "negative" painting in black and cream. On the perimeter of the chamber a panelled strip is painted with alternating geometric patterns and fantastic birds. |
