Blackware Vessel with Flaring Rim in the Form of a Seated Figure Possibly 1000 - 1500

This blackware vessel was created by the Manteño people of coastal Ecuador. Though its precise date is unknown, it likely comes from the Late Regional Development period, between 500 and 1532 CE. Its glossy surface comes from the firing process rather than any applied slip. The seated male figure supports a flaring rim, likely used for serving liquids during feasts. The figure's adornments and posture suggest high social status. However, the figure's prominent genitalia may also be a signifier of status, or it may relate to fertility rituals. Objects such as this played an important role in social life and were likely used to cement social relationships in this hierarchical society. Historians can learn about such objects through archeological reports and ethnographies of similar cultures. Context is critical to understanding an object’s original function and social meaning.