Inca Ceramics History

During the inca empire the production of pottery in the andes was an art already developed in the region for thousands of years.

Inca ceramics history.

The best example of pottery produced before the days of the inca empire is found in the ceramic produced by the moche or mochica culture that thrived from 100 to 700 ad in the northern peruvian coast the moche produced large amounts of pottery aided by the use of. Utilitarian ceramics used for everyday purposes and very separate ceremonial vessels for rituals and burials. Inca pottery description and purpose. 100 bc to 800 ad beside the arid southern coast of peru in the river valleys of the rio grande de nazca drainage and the ica valley.

Many of the inhabitants of the inca state were potters. 1425 1532 ce produced some of the finest works ever crafted in the ancient americas. Those made and used in cuzco the capital of the inca empire and its vicinity are known as cuzco inca style. Although many pieces have a glazed look to the surface it appears that the clay pottery designs have been highly polished to achieve a shine rather than glazed.

Inca pottery served two purposes. The pottery of the incas lacked the drama and artistry of the ceramics of earlier civilizations of peru like the moche and nazca. Inca art history ceramic pottery did not make an appearance in peru until 1800 bc and it did not appear in the lake titicaca basin until as late as 1200 bc. Designs often use geometrical shapes are standardized and technically accomplished.

A mochicas terracotta head the best example of pottery produced before the days of the inca empire is found in the ceramics produced by the moche or mochica culture that thrived from 100 to 700 ad in the northern peruvian coast. During inca times the production and distribution of ceramics was controlled by the state. Timeline of art history. First director of the machu picchu museum.

The nazca culture also nasca was the archaeological culture that flourished from c. The incas adopted the pottery techniques of their ancestors mainly the andean cultures wari xiii century and tiahuanaco xii century. The collections of the casa concha machu picchu museum make up a permanent exhibition open to the public of 350 pieces and another 45 000 broken pieces like ceramic fragments and bones including 177 parcial human skeletons. Most scholars believe that a civilization does not occur until ceramic pottery comes into use.

Strongly influenced by the preceding paracas culture citation needed which was known for extremely complex textiles the nazca produced an array of crafts and technologies. Inca art is best seen in highly polished metalwork ceramics and above all textiles with the last being considered the most prestigious by the incas themselves. History of the casa concha museumn. The art of the inca civilization of peru c.

These worked almost entirely for the nobility these people did not have to worry about food or clothing since all this was supplied to them from the colcas warehouses of the empire.