Certified Rare PreColumbian Painted Ceremonial Pottery TABLET#2 - Arequipa, Peru

Description

CERTIFIED RARE CEREMONIAL POTTERY
TERRACOTTA TABLET #2; AREQUIPA, PERU
Item is legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, Chapter 14.
Archaeological Info:
These ancient tablets are attributed to ceremonial/religious context and are also interpreted as being portable art.
In the mountainous Chucu region of southern Peru, miles of huge boulder fields form innumerable caves and passages. Starting early in the 19th Century, archaeologists exploring/excavating the area began finding these ancient painted pottery and stone tablets (also called plaques). These amazing, rare, ancient old paintings were made with vivid mineral pigments in yellow, red, white, pale green, black, blue and grey metallic tones. Each tablet is a unique and dramatic sculpture and archaeologists are still debating the meaning of these tablets in the 21st century.
Pictured Tablet Features:
An ancient trapezoidal, curved pottery terracotta tablet recovered from the Arequipa region of Southern Peru. Pottery and stone tablets (also called plaques) have been recovered and documented from this region, as well as documented in archaeological scientific papers.
Date estimate 1000AD-1500AD
The paint on this tablet was made with red, yellow, white, tan and traces of black & metallic/mica pigments; all made from earth minerals which were utilized in ancient/prehistoric times. Black and metallic pigments are noted as a scarce color; making this tablet rare.
The iconography consists of: humans (known as anthropomorphic, having human characteristics); animals (zoomorphic, animal figures, possibly alpacas or foxes) however a new scientific study suggests the animal figures may represent the maned wolf; circular dot patterns most likely represent rain. The iconography pattern is intentionally repetitious with rows of humans and rows of animals, with random dots.
Paint Minerals: Red: hematite; Yellow: limonite; Black: manganese; White: kaolinite; Metallic: specularite or mica
Material: Terracotta/Pottery
The tablet is painted on one side, which is a trait of all the ceremonial tablets. Sparkles when the light shines on the mica areas due to the pigment.
No restoration, fully in tact.
Size: 9-1/2 inches x 8 inches (measurements taken at longest length and width).
Provenance: Gallery acquisition. Very Good condition with well preserved motifs. Minor nicks and abrasions evident, pigment slightly faded. Acquired in the 1960's.
Certificate of Authenticity (COA) included with your purchase.
Guarantee line: Peru, Arequipa region, ancient Painted Pottery Terracotta Tablet, 1000AD-1500AD.
Please view all high definition pictures for exact details of the tablet.
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Thanks for looking. I have other tablets listed, all were part of an archaeological study in the United States.