Inca Redware Figural Vessel - Ayahuasca Taker

Pre-Columbian, Northern Peru, Inca Empire, ca. 1200 to 1500 CE. A rare mold-formed hollow pottery figure under the influence of Ayahuasca, his teeth exposed, his cheeks in a grimace, and his coffee-bean shaped eyes wide open (a typical expression of an Ayahuasca vision seeker). Standing on 2 stalky legs with wide feet and holding a spondylus shell before him with slender tubular arms, the intriguing character exhibits a bulbous body and sizable head with a heart-shaped visage framed by a headdress that straps below his chin and is adorned with a striped periphery and 4 horizontal registers of vertically striations. His chest is decorated with a band that straps around his torso to hold a pack on his back, while a necklace bearing a feather hangs from his shoulders. The top of his headdress features an opening, allowing this curious character to function as a vessel. Naturally adorned in a warm shade of terracotta, this is certainly a unique example from the Inca! Size: 4.25" L x 5.5" W x 8.5" H (10.8 cm x 14 cm x 21.6 cm); 9.5" H (24.1 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-private T. Misenhimer collection, Beverly Hills, California, USA, collected from 1970 to 2008

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#160650
Condition Report: A few minute chips to rim and expected surface wear with some small nicks/chips, abrasions, and staining in areas, commensurate with age. Char marks to proper left side. Otherwise, intact and excellent with remarkable remaining detail.