A Carchi-Narino Polychrome Decorated Bowl, ca. 1000 - 1250 CE

The Highland Nariño area of southern Colombia and northern Ecuador has quite a rich history of ceramic art.  Three major stylistic complexes have been determined for the region starting around 750 CE: Capuli, Piartal, and Tuza. While Capuli has generally been deemed the oldest, Piartal and Tuza seem to be somewhat related, and there are examples of mixed styles. All three complexes look similar to the untrained eye, characterized by creme, black, brown, and red slip-covered ceramic vessels decorated with geometric, anthropomorphic, and zoomorphic motifs. As is often the case, however, each complex has its own individual characteristics and techniques. 

This bowl is a classic example of the Piartal style, featuring a black-on-creme resist technique with added red coloration. Both the interior and exterior are decorated, the exterior with bands of thin creme stripes against a dark background, the interior with a bold stylized butterfly motif made of four thick red connected triangles, surrounded by creme lines of various lengths in the negative spaces.

Ref: Stone-Miller, Rebecca, Seeing with New Eyes: Highlights of the Michael C. Carlos Museum, Atlanta: Emory University (2002), pp. 187 - 181.

Labbé, Armand J., Colombia Before the Colombians: The People, Culture, and Ceramic Art of Prehispanic Colombia, New York: Rizzoli (1986), pp. 134 - 159.

Medium:  Clay

Dimensions:  Height: 3 3/4 inches  (9.5 cm), Diameter: 8 1/2 inches (21.59 cm)

Condition: One stabilized crack down the side of the bowl, otherwise overall intact and in good condition.

Provenance:  Collection of George and Julianne Alderman, Baltimore, Maryland, acquired in the mid 1960’s - mid 1990’s.

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