Seated Female Effigy Vessel

Date

0-650

Creator

Although the general form and facial features of this vessel resemble late Condorhuasi (house of the condor) effigies from the central valleys of northwest Argentina, some of the decorative motifs, applied in red-and-black-on-beige slips, point to the nearby Santa María culture that dates from A.D. 850-1500. The refinement of the construction and decoration mark it, in any case, as one of the most important objects ever to emerge from the prehistory of the region. Condorhuasi effigy vessels are characterized by a wide degree of variation, but the raised oval eyes, beaked nose, recessed mouth and circular ears seen here are hallmarks of the general style. The facial features project forward through the combination of the red-slipped upper face outlined in beige and the shadows of the eyes, nose, and chin. This effect is enhanced by shadows cast by the roundels in the headdress and the ears, as well as by the braids that frame the lower face. The shape of the redslipped area, widely interpreted as a bird face by archaeologists, is first seen on Condorhuasi sculpture. Directional crosses, opposed spirals bordering the cloak, and opposed bird heads between the braids are motifs from the Santa María inventory, but little is known of their origins. from O'Grady, Myth & Melancholy: The Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. O'Grady Collection of Southern Cone Art (Notre Dame, 2014)