I began with close inspection of the pieces, followed by photographing, measuring and weighing each item. Initial investigation into likely date and origin began with a broad web search employing widely used search engines and online tools, including images from auction sites and museums. The Larco Museum's public online catalog was particularly helpful in this process. From there I focused on isolating materials (color and nature of clay), specific designs (e.g. handles, shapes), and imagery (e.g. Tiwanakan Gateway Idol, jaguar, monkey) in order to estimate both origin and period for each piece. Given this methodology, a wide error range should be considered for all estimates and is noted where appropriate. Note that while I believe these pieces to be authentic based on my knowledge of their provenance and the limited research I've done, it is quite possible that some or many are inauthentic.

 

Please note that any estimates and assertions are solely my own and intended solely for informational purposes. While these statements have been made in good faith, more data and analysis is needed to give them rigor.

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Having witnessed firsthand the painstaking and important work done by field archaeologists to gather information from ancient sites, I am conscious of the sensitivity around displaying artifacts whose provenance is, at best, done without regard to study or proper analysis. I fully support prohibitions on looting, desecration of sacred or historically important sites, and repatriation of culturally meaningful artifacts. Note that the huacos, pottery and sherds in this collection were obtained by Peruvians at a time when this was a common practice in Peru; were exported out of the country as part of a family's emigration before legal restrictions on such actions were in place; and are neither museum pieces nor tied to significant (or even known) historical sites. While their provenance is unfortunate, it is a function of the time and cannot be undone; little is gained by hiding them from public eyes and pretending they don't exist.

Going through this process has been eye-opening in terms of becoming aware of the rich history of Peruvian ceramics and the interconnection within it that extends across both time and geography. I feel privileged to be able to document them here.

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Deepest thanks to my grandparents and great-grandparents not only for preserving these pots and sherds but also for providing a link to a rich and fascinating history. 

 

I would also like to extend sincere thanks to Dr. Alexei Vranich, U. of Warsaw, whose guidance, expertise, and inspiration has been essential in creating this site. Without his input this site would not have been completed.

 

–Maya McQueeney