ticketsMember | Make a donation

Effigy bottle

650–1000 CE
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 362
Modeled in the shape of a man, the body of this vessel was painted with vertical stripes characteristic of finely woven, high-status tunics. A hat and red face paint embellish the man’s head, underscoring his lofty position. Effigy vessels are prominent yet enigmatic Andean art works, ripe with interpretative possibilities: by drinking its contents, does one consume the essence of the pictured individual?

The figure’s hat features a geometric design in red, yellow, and gray; the tunic has a V neck and four vertical yellow bands with S-shaped motifs that run from the front to back. He wears a white nose ornament and sports a thin moustache and small goatee.

Between 500 and 1000 CE, the Wari built a vast empire expanding from its homeland in Ayacucho in the highlands of central Peru. The state fostered the development of the visual arts, including textiles, ceramics, and stonework, often imposing standardization in the production of high-status garments and other items.

References and Further Reading

Bergh, Susan E. Wari: Lords of the Ancient Andes. New York: Thames & Hudson, 2013.

Isbell, William H., Mauricio I. Uribe, Anne Tiballi, and Edward P. Zegarra. Images in Action: The Southern Andean Iconographic Series. Los Angeles: The Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press, 2018.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Effigy bottle
  • Artist: Wari artist(s)
  • Date: 650–1000 CE
  • Geography: Peru
  • Culture: Wari
  • Medium: Ceramic, slip
  • Dimensions: H. 15 1/2 × W. 10 × D. 8 1/2 in. (39.4 × 25.4 × 21.6 cm)
  • Classification: Ceramics-Containers
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Mary R. Morgan Gift, 1987
  • Object Number: 1987.2
  • Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Ceremonial spoon, Wari artist(s), Wood, Wari
Ceremonial spoon
Wari artist(s)
650–1000 CE
Bowl with profile bird, Wari artist(s), Ceramic, slip, Wari
Bowl with profile bird
Wari artist(s)
650–1000 CE
Figurine, Wari artist(s), Turquoise, Wari
Figurine
Wari artist(s)
650–1000 CE
Figurine, Wari artist(s), Turquoise, Wari
Figurine
Wari artist(s)
650–1000 CE
Mirror with figure in a reed boat, Wari artist(s), Wood, shell, silver alloy, pigment, resin, Wari
Mirror with figure in a reed boat
Wari artist(s)
650–1000 CE

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.