Bowl; Nazca culture, Peru, 200–400 AD,

Bowl; Nazca Culture, Peru, 200–400 AD,
Polychrome terracotta.
Measurements: 7 x 12.5 cm.
The Nazca culture developed in Peru in the valleys of what is now the department of Ica, between the 1st and 7th centuries, and had its main center in Cahuachi. Its pottery is among the most highly regarded of ancient Peru, both for its quality and its variety. The Nazca used a distinctive technique, which involved painting the entire surface of the vessel before firing, using polychrome pigments applied in up to eleven shades, with a wide variety of hues. Most Nazca vessels feature a globular belly with two spouts or pour spouts and a bridge handle.