Kero

Culture: Inka
Period: Colonial period, 1532–1826
Date: 1532–1826
Material: Wood with pigment
made in: Peru, South America
Classification: Containers, wood
Collection: Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Current Location: On View, Gallery 111
Dimensions: height: 6 9/16 in. (16.6 cm)
base, diameter: 4 1/8 in. (10.5 cm)
rim, diameter: 6 1/4 in. (15.9 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of J. Lionberger Davis
Rights: Public Domain
Object Number: 123:1954

NOTES

Containing complex iconography, this keros, or wooden cup, was a crucial element in Inka ceremonies and feasts. Keros were made in pairs for the ritual exchange of chicha, a fermented beverage made from corn. Early cups were incised with abstract geometric designs unrelated to any objects or beings. Following the Spanish conquest, inlaid resinous pigment decorated the keros with colorful pictorial scenes narrating Andean memory. These vessels continue to be produced in and used by Andean communities today.

The motif on this kero represents a warrior with battle gear.

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