Vessel in the Form of a Feline Head

The open mouth, exposed teeth, and pointed fangs suggest a jaguar, a common creature portrayed in Andean art. As the largest and most feared predator in the American tropics, the jaguar can cover vast expanses of ground, climb trees, and unlike most other cats, is an excellent swimmer. Note the textured appearance of the animal’s head. Cupisnique artists used various decorative techniques, like stamping, burnishing, incising, and modeling, to create details on monochrome ceramics such as this one.