1-316 Chimu Cat

This vessel is from the Chimu culture of Northern Peru. Chimu culture peaked between 850-1470 AD and that is most likely when this vessel was manufactured. Like many other vessels of its kind symbolism played an important role in designing Chimu ceramics. This particular vessel depicts an iconographic representation of a cat. This vessel was press molded. Press molding is the process in which clay is molded to an existing object, the clay would be cut in two, and then the halves would be removed. The two halves were then joined with a wash. The resulting seam would be smoothed over after. Chimu potters meticulously fired their ceramics. They closely regulated not only temperatures within the kiln but also, the oxygen level. This methodology resulted in the ceramics blackened color as well as its simple yet eloquent semblance.