Ceramic ware as an expression of art, ritual, and cultural identity: The case of the Cerro de Oro bowl

Summary

This research focuses on the analysis of one of the most common and representative types of bowls identified at the archaeological site of Cerro de Oro (Cañete Valley, Perú). According to prior morphological and stylistic analysis, we have determined that this type of bowl was the preferred support for the display of geometric and figurative iconographic representations recording its variations throughout time. Taking this apparent preference into account, this talk intends to analyze the contexts of origin of such vessels. Preliminarily, we believe that its role as a service vessel goes beyond the everyday use and is related to rituals that involve feastings and celebrations of great magnitude. In addition, its location in different archaeological sites surrounding the valley suggests its possible use as a symbol of cultural identity and as the expression of a unique style in formation.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)

Keywords

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