Handle Spout Vessel Depicting Seated Figure Drinking from Cup Possibly 1200 - 1450

This earthenware vessel depicting a seated figure drinking from a cup was created by the Chimú people, who flourished on the northern coast of present-day Peru, from about 900 to 1470 CE. Considered with an intersectional lens, this artwork invites us to reflect on power dynamics and cultural practices. The Chimú civilization was marked by a hierarchical social structure, where elites held significant authority, something we can tell by the detail put into the headdress and jewelry on this figure. This piece serves as both a utilitarian object and a symbol of status, intertwining daily life with social stratification. Drinking rituals like the one represented in the work were culturally important. The act of drinking, often associated with maize beer, or ‘chicha’ in the Andes, was a communal practice which connected people. Notice the way the figure holds the cup, almost reverently. The vessel stands as a testament to the Chimú’s artistic skill, social organization, and cultural values.