SALINAR, Peru, 500 BC - 300 AD - Lot 122

SALINAR, Peru, 500 BC - 300 AD Ceremonial kero depicting the portrait of a priest, cheeks and forehead adorned with brown body paint, with frail arms modeled in relief Polychrome terracotta H. 16 cm x L. 10.5 cm Provenance : Harmer Rooke Galleries, New York Arte Primitivo sale, New York, December 14, 2018, lot 268 Collection of Professor Kenneth Graham. The Salinar culture, active on the northern coast of Peru, is known for its innovations in irrigation and the development of urban centers. Ceramics, such as this kero, bear witness to a rich iconography, often associated with rituals and authority figures. This ceremonial vessel, decorated with body paint, reflects the importance of priests in the religious ceremonies and social order of this civilization. Expert : Serge REYNES