Day 11: 200 Objects in 200 Days
Like Object #1, this Peruvian vessel was collected by U-M zoologist Joseph Beal Steere in Pacasmayo (Jequetepeque), Peru, during his 1870–1875 collecting expedition. The vessel is a hybrid form, including elements from both highland Inka and coastal Chimú ceramic traditions. Its shape resembles the distinctive imperial Inka “aribalo” jar form, while the face on the neck is a local tradition of the north coast region. The Inka Empire conquered the power Chimú state around AD 1470; these hybrid ceramic forms—likely associated with feasting and consumption at state-sponsored events—are evidence of the process of imperial incorporation.
Back to Day 10 or continue to Day 12.
In honor of the University of Michigan’s 2017 bicentennial, we are celebrating the remarkable archaeological and ethnographic collections and rich legacy of research and teaching at the Museum of Anthropological Archaeology by posting one entry a day for 200 days. The entries will highlight objects from the collections, museum personalities, and UMMAA expeditions. The Kelsey Museum of Archaeology is also posting each day for 200 days on Twitter and Facebook (follow along at #KMA200). After the last post, an exhibition on two centuries of archaeology at U-M opens at the Kelsey. Visit the exhibit—a joint project of the UMMAA and the Kelsey—from October 18, 2017 to May 27, 2018.