Bird-Shaped Container

Description

Peruvian Indians today regard coca leaf as a sacred substance that creates communion with deities. The leaves are chewed with powdered lime that in antiquity was stored in containers and scooped with spatulas like those seen here. Aside from its ritual meaning, coca has practical benefits: it is vitamin-rich and, like coffee, induces clear-headedness. The lizard spatula is Nasca; the other two are Wari.

Provenance

Alan Lapiner; Alan Lapiner

Bird-Shaped Container

[]

500–900

Accession Number

1989.66

Medium

wood

Dimensions

Overall: 8.4 cm (3 5/16 in.)

Classification

Sculpture

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

Edwin R. and Harriet Pelton Perkins Memorial Fund