Fragment from a Blackware Vessel in the Form of a Puma Head Possibly 1000 - 1400

Curator: Immediately, I’m drawn in by the texture; it looks like it would feel wonderfully cool and smooth. Editor: Yes, that captivating surface comes from a fragment of a Blackware vessel made by the Chimú culture, sometime between 1000 and 1400 AD. Specifically, it depicts the head of a puma. Curator: A puma with secrets. The material itself, the darkened ceramic, gives it a somewhat somber and ancient feeling. Like a dream fading at the edges. I imagine it held sacred water or something else with a vital energy. Editor: Blackware pottery, achieved through sophisticated firing techniques that limited oxygen, was prized for its lustrous surface. Each piece had to have a skilled labour process and careful kiln arrangements for this piece to appear. This wasn’t simply decorative; it also represented wealth and status. The puma, a powerful predator, no doubt added symbolic weight. Curator: I do appreciate the level of craftsmanship that is put into this type of piece; I can already hear the earth turning as the potter molds the vessel into its intended purpose. And yes, you're right. That feline stare—it sees into your soul. It embodies strength and perhaps also cunning. Those ancient eyes have a wisdom that transcends time. But there’s also a stillness, an acceptance, as if it's quietly observing the chaos around it. Editor: Think of the social context. This object would have likely featured in ceremonies or as part of elite displays. The very act of transforming earth into such a refined object suggests a complex relationship between labor, nature, and spiritual beliefs. How pottery acts as witness, but is made in relative silence and calm by human labor! Curator: Absolutely. And seeing it now, detached from its original context in this sterile gallery... well, it evokes a sense of longing, doesn’t it? A poignant echo of a civilization we can only glimpse. It's a small fragment, yet it carries the weight of an entire culture within it. Editor: Ultimately, it serves as a potent reminder of the ingenuity and resourcefulness inherent in artmaking—of how we can imbue raw materials with both meaning and functionality. I believe every aspect tells us volumes about labor, technique and the hierarchical nature of society.