ID Number

Title

Item Name

Culture

Material

Manufacturing Technique

Date Made

Place Made

Date Collected

Date Owned

Owner

Acquisition Date

Source

Measurements

Item Classes

Condition

Current Location

Accession Number

Narrative

Contemporary

History Of Use

Starting in colonial times, the finest young bull was chosen and ritually cut and white washed at the annual marking of the herd. The cuts were treated to stop bleeding, then the bull was decorated with flowers and fruit. Finally, coca leaves were burned and a fiesta followed. Cattle are no longer raised in pucara area, but the bull, with its symbolic cuts in the shape of a saddle and harness and bedecked with flowers survives in the ceramic version.

Description

A fully modelled ceramic bull of light orange clay, crudely painted white with details in brown paint and green slip. Details of harness and saddle are flat while flowers, tail, tongue etc., are modelled additions. The bull is hollow with a small strap handle in front of the vessel mouth on the animal's back. The loops of fat at the front of the neck, which are part of the ritual cutting and featured prominently.

Iconographic Meaning

The pottery bull commemorates the traditional cattle-marking ceremony of Pucara area. The ceremony gave thanks for the fertility of the herd. Today, similar ceremonies take place throughout Peru on April 25, the feast day of San Marcos.