Fisherman Vessel
Fishermen in the ancient Americas wore distinctive headgear—a turban with a pointed knot at the front, as seen here. The style of this headgear seems to have been functional: similar to a fish’s fin, the protuberance at the front helped fishermen to dive and swim through the water more swiftly and with greater ease. This fisherman’s catch of a tasty fish, held in his right hand, attests to the gear’s benefits.
In the arid Nasca Desert of southern Peru, fish and other marine life from the nearby Pacific Ocean were essential food sources, and those who fished them from the Pacific were respected in Nasca society.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Dr. Uldarico Rocca, Lima, Peru; given to Dr. Ernst Niedermeyer, Baltimore, July 1978; given to Walters Art Museum, 2009.
Exhibitions
2018 | Crowning Glory: Art of the Americas. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. |
Conservation
Date | Description | Narrative |
---|---|---|
9/1/2017 | Examination | examined for exhibition |
Geographies
Peru (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 7 1/16 x W: 5 15/16 x D: 7 1/2 in. (18 x 15.1 x 19.1 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Dr. Ernst Niedermeyer, 2009
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
48.2865