Brooklyn Museum Collection

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Cedric H. Marks

Gift of the Ernest Erickson Foundation, Inc.

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Paul B. Taylor

Gift of Ernest Erickson

Gift of D.D. Streeter

"Acoma J.V.L" in pencil. Old paper label glued on "Double-headed bird Acoma. New Mexico. J.V.L."

Gift of the Ernest Erickson Foundation, Inc.

Gift of Ernest Erickson

Ceramic vessel with double-spout and bridge handle and decorated with two classic Nasca figures with orange mouth masks, light brown protruding tongues, and light brown forehead ornaments on a white background,. The upper part of each face is deep red. Each figure clutches a club in proper right hand, and two trophy heads in the proper left. Multicolored peppers in horizontal and vertical arrangements fill portions of the space. Condition: good; the spout and bridge handle are chipped and have been repaired; some flaking of pigment in these areas and across surface; and the number "718" is painted on the bottom. Label from "Life, Death, Transformation" Exhibition, 2013: A common motif in Nasca art is the Anthropomorphic Mythical Being, or “masked god”, interpreted by scholars as a symbolic representation of the powerful spirits residing in nature. On this vessel the Mythical Being is associated with agricultural fertility, as indicated by the many multicolored peppers depicted on its body. The figure holds a club and peppers in one hand and two trophy heads in the other.