Portrait Head Vessel
200–550
- Medium
- earthenware with colored slips
- Dimensions
- Overall: 32 x 18.6 x 19.3 cm (12 5/8 x 7 5/16 x 7 5/8 in.)
- Genre
- sculpture
- Museum
- Cleveland Museum of Art
Styles
Tags
Peru, North Coast, Moche style
About
The Moche were unique in ancient Peru in creating realistic human portraits, usually in the form of ceramic vessels. In general, such vessels represent more than 750 individuals; identities are unclear but most are elite men, some probably rulers. The stirrup-shaped spout is a hallmark of Moche ceramic production.