Pre-Columbian, Peru, Inca Empire, ca. 1470 to 1532 CE. A beautifully preserved wooden kero (quero, qero) with three hammered star / flower inlays and its surface painted black on interior and exterior. The original wood coloring can be seen around the base. The kero was a ceremonial drinking vessel, used to hold the fermented maize drink chicha. This vessel probably once had an identical other, as keros are often found in tombs in pairs, 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: 3.25" W x 3.95" H (8.3 cm x 10 cm)

Provenance: private Los Angeles, California, USA collection

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#129088

Dark patina on surface, with craquelure on the painted areas. A few stable cracks from the wood aging. One petal on one of the silver inlays is repaired. Overall, in nice condition for such an old wooden item.