Bold geometric forms and abstracted faces make up this vibrant tunic by the Wari people of the ancient Andes
Dr. Sarahh Scher
It is thought that these tunics were made for soldiers and the checkered pattern camouflaged them into an indistinguishable mass
Inka checkerboard tunics
Chorrera artists developed a sophisticated technology that allowed them to create elaborate vessels and expressive sculptural works.
Chorrera Ceramics from Ecuador
Thousands of brightly painted and beautifully detailed sculptures were produced by the Jama-Coaque culture of modern-day Ecuador.
Jama-Coaque ceramics
The discovery of this Moche woman's luxurious tomb made scholars question the Moche culture's relationship between gender and power
Funerary bundle of the Señora de Cao
Learn more about how the Wari people made incredibly complex, detailed textiles like this hat
Four-cornered hat
Basic terminology that is often used in discussions about pre-Columbian art. Test yourself with a quiz at the bottom!
Glossary for pre-Columbian art
The image of a divine figure holding staffs or similar objects in its hands would persist in Andean art long past the time of Chavín.
The Staff God at Chavín de Huántar ...
The ritual this was made for was enacted in fields the Inka owned—in the Chancay lands they had conquered.
An Inka paccha
The blending of human and animal traits in this figure shows us that the Chancay people were keen observers of nature.
Chancay Standing Female Figure
This image is so complex that its features could only be perceived, let alone understood, by the initiated.
Complexity and vision: the Staff God at ...
Feline fangs, rather than human teeth, suggest that this figure is either supernatural or in contact with deities.
Inverse-Face Beaker
Grave robbing destroyed much of the archaeological context in Sicán—can what remains unlock the past?
What the bulldozers left behind: reclaiming Sicán’s ...
The Kingdom of Chimor was conquered by the Inka, but impressive adobe walls survive in their capital, Chan Chan.
Introduction to the Chimú culture
Deserts, jungles, and mountains—the architectural and artistic practices of this region were broad and varied.
Introduction to Andean Cultures
The Inka empire spanned from Ecuador to Chile, and was connected by a road system used for official business only.
Introduction to the Inka
Multiple points of view are combined in the decoration of this vessel, tip it and see!
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