Pre-Columbian, Peru, Chimu, ca. 1100 to 1470 CE. A small silver kero (quero, qiru) made from hammered silver, with a stepped design and a deep base and a flat, flared rim. The kero was a ceremonial drinking vessel, used to hold the fermented maize drink chicha. This vessel probably once had an identical pair, as they are often found in tombs that way, suggesting that they were made for a ceremony where people joined together in some kind of contract. Portraits painted from ancient Peruvian cultures showing important figures drinking together from keros reinforce this idea. However, keros may also have been used in ritual sacrifices - perhaps to pour blood into the ground to fortify prayers for a successful harvest. Size: 3.9" W x 3.9" H (9.9 cm x 9.9 cm); 59.5 g

Provenance: Private Georgia Collection; Ex-William and Carol Thibadeau, acquired 1960s through 1980s

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#123152

Near choice with one small stable crack