A Narino Polychrome Bowl, Capuli Complex, ca. 850 - 1500 CE

The large vessel with a rounded base, high sloping sides that sharply carinate at the shoulder, and a wide mouth with a short neck, the surface decorated in the black on red resist-painted technique of the Capuli complex, featuring diagonal bands of thin lines around the sides, meeting at the shoulder and a horizontal band at the base.

The Highland Nariño area of southern Colombia and northern Ecuador has 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. The Capuli style, as exemplified here, generally uses black on red resist painting and features geometric motifs such as crosshatching and linear bands.

Dimensions:   Height:  4 3/4 inches (12.06 cm)  Diameter:  9 inches (23.5 cm) 

Condition: Some very minor surface wear, overall intact and in very good condition.

Provenance: Roberta McCain private collection, Washington DC, an independent-minded oil heiress who was married to one of the Navy’s highest-ranking officers.  Her father-in-law, John S. McCain Sr., a four-star Navy admiral, commanded forces in the Pacific during World War II; her husband, John S. McCain Jr., another four-star Navy admiral, led the U.S. invasion of the Dominican Republic in 1965 and commanded U.S. forces in the Pacific during the Vietnam War.  At the age 96, she displayed characteristic pluck when she took to the presidential campaign trail on behalf of her son, Sen. John McCain of Arizona.