Post with Carved Faces
(Ancient Americas )
Placed beside or inside a tomb, this grave marker resembles a human figure. If buried, the post would have supported the roof of a tomb of the Ica-Chincha people, who lived on the central coast of Peru. Crowned with a two-pronged headdress, the post was treated the same way as a human skull in a tomb: the red colorant that can still be seen on the post is likely the same red cinnabar pigment used after death to paint the skeletal remains of the Ica-Chincha people.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.
Martin and Ullman Artweave Textile Gallery, New York [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Private collection, 1992, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 2009, by gift.
Geographies
Peru (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 65 1/2 × W:13 5/8 × D: 4 1/2 in. (166.4 × 34.6 × 11.4 cm)
Overall (w/ base): H: 67 7/8 × W:13 5/8 × D: 13 in. (172.4 × 34.6 × 33 cm)
Base: H: 2 5/8 × W: 13 × D: 13 in. (6.7 × 33 × 33 cm)
Credit Line
Anonymous gift, 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.
61.352