Kero Cup

Item number 41.1275.5 from the Brooklyn Museum.

Public

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Data
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Credit Line

Museum Expedition 1941, Frank L. Babbott Fund

Label

The kero cup form originates with the Inca. The original decorations included abstract geometric patterns. After the arrival of Europeans, the kero evolved to include pictorial scenes, a European convention, but its function remained the same. Kero cups were used to drink chichi (maize beer) in ritual ceremonies, for instance in the sealing of a deal or agreement.

Although the kero looks similar to a European or North American colonial beaker, the two forms developed independently. The similarity of both cups in form and function created a link between Spanish and native cultures, reflecting the role of things in building cultural connections.