Chancay
Peru
1100–1350 AD
Wood, shell inlay
Height 9 1/2"
Provenance: Private collection, Las Cruces, NM, prior to 1970
This Chancay snuff ladle is carved in wood with two stacked frontal figures set above a rectangular bowl, each face framed by heavy brow ridges and an oval mouth, with inlaid spondylus shell at the forehead and chest providing accents of orange-red against the dark weathered wood. The upper figure has a bifurcated headdress with upward-projecting elements, while the lower figure is broader and more architectural in form, with the same incised facial treatment. Objects of this type were used in the preparation and application of hallucinogenic snuff in ceremonial and shamanic contexts across Andean cultures.
The piece has established pre-1970 provenance from a private collection in Las Cruces, New Mexico, placing it well within the period required for legal collection and sale of pre-Columbian material. The Chancay culture of the central Peruvian coast is known for its distinctive textile and ceramic production, and carved wooden ceremonial objects with shell inlay are among its most compelling works. The shell inlay on this example remains largely intact, retaining strong color against the aged wood surface.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Chancay
Peru
1100–1350 AD
Wood, shell inlay
Height 9 1/2"
Provenance: Private collection, Las Cruces, NM, prior to 1970
This Chancay snuff ladle is carved in wood with two stacked frontal figures set above a rectangular bowl, each face framed by heavy brow ridges and an oval mouth, with inlaid spondylus shell at the forehead and chest providing accents of orange-red against the dark weathered wood. The upper figure has a bifurcated headdress with upward-projecting elements, while the lower figure is broader and more architectural in form, with the same incised facial treatment. Objects of this type were used in the preparation and application of hallucinogenic snuff in ceremonial and shamanic contexts across Andean cultures.
The piece has established pre-1970 provenance from a private collection in Las Cruces, New Mexico, placing it well within the period required for legal collection and sale of pre-Columbian material. The Chancay culture of the central Peruvian coast is known for its distinctive textile and ceramic production, and carved wooden ceremonial objects with shell inlay are among its most compelling works. The shell inlay on this example remains largely intact, retaining strong color against the aged wood surface.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
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