South American Art

Chavin (850-200 BCE) - Early Horizon

an interesting art style develops and moves out

Chavin de Huantar

  • site of Chavin cult
    • probably site of an oracle
  • mazes and small rooms in temples
  • The Lanzon
    • temple built around it
    • designs often wrapped around objects
  • Raimondi Stele
    • polymorph staff god
    • hair made from snakes
    • human body and stance
    • claws and one face like jaguar second face like caiman
      • these blend together power of earth and sky
    • headless made from caiman snouts
      • bridges earth and sky

Chavin style

  • geometric
  • detailed - complex designs
  • bilateral symmetry
  • embroidered mantel showing shamans, ritual dancing, floating or flying figures and incorporated complex numerical code

Nazca Culture

Early Intermediate: 200-600 BCE

The Paracas Textile 5ft x 2ft

  • The Paracas Textile is a collection of ancient textiles created by the Paracas culture in what is now Peru. These textiles are known for their intricate designs and use of vibrant colors, and are considered some of the finest examples of Andean textile art.
  • geometric abstracted faces in center
  • astonishing figures around border
  • lends to Chavin staff god
    • headless, staff, claws
  • everyday figured - llamas used for carrying things, jaguars in trees
  • finished on both sides, reversible

The Nazca Lines

  • The Nazca lines are a series of ancient geoglyphs located in the Nazca Desert of southern Peru. They were created by the Nazca culture between 500 BCE and 500 CE and consist of hundreds of large-scale designs, including animals, plants, and geometric shapes, etched into the desert floor. The purpose of the lines is unknown, but they are believed to have had religious or astronomical significance.
  • geoglyphs
  • variety of animals
  • straight lines for 6 miles
  • walked into surface of landscape - mapped out using stakes and string grids
  • created for
    • to appease sky gods, ritual worship for benefit of humans to get closer to the gods, may represent constellations or paths of stellar and lunar movements

Moche (Mochica) 50-800 BCE

Early Intermediate

ceramics

  • hand built, coil and mold - show large range of natural and ritual

much more naturalistic

landscape

narratives present

The Lord of Sipan

  • war and religion
  • priest kings

Inca Empire

late horizon

The Inca Empire was a pre-Columbian civilization that existed in South America from the early 13th century until the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. It was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America and had a complex social, political, and economic system. The Inca civilization is known for its impressive architecture, including Machu Picchu, and its advanced agricultural techniques.

had an emperor

one of the largest empires in the whole world

  • 12 million subjects

mit’a

  • labor tax - instead of just giving money they had to work a certain number of days a year on imperial projects

quipu

  • system of knotted, colored cords for record keeping
    • not only recorded numbers but also words

20,000 miles in roads

like romans in that the subjects could worship their own gods as long as they also worshipped emperor

Cusco - capital city

  • high in andes

Viracocha made man from stone

  • Viracocha is the name of the supreme god in the pre-Inca and Inca mythology of the Andes region in South America. He was believed to be the creator of the universe, the earth, and all living beings. Viracocha was also associated with water, storms, and fertility.
  • stone was important both physically and mythologically
    • can be seen in the language

Fortress for Saqsa Waman

  • no mortar needed
  • used stone to carve stone
    • handling bosses - used to hold stone up on the tripod made for placing block in the wall
  • puffy natural looking stones - stones could become living things
  • head of puma in landscape
  • ceque lines - invisible lines along which huacas lie
    • huacas - auspicious objects
    • 328 huacas - one for each day of the year
    • ritual sites and festivals held there

Qovikancha “Golden House”

  • now foundation for church
  • favored trapezoids
    • benefits during earthquakes
  • walls covered in gold
  • metal garden - largely silver and gold - corn stalks

Machu Pichu

  • Machu Picchu is an ancient Incan citadel located in the Andes Mountains of Peru. It was built in the 15th century and is known for its impressive architecture and stunning views.
  • royal retreat site created for Emperor Pachakuti
  • emperors were considered immortal
    • they would mummify them, fead them, and consult them
  • stonework houses
  • llamas
    • better than wheel - never developed
  • can control landscape but also are apart of it
  • sacred rock
  • festival of the sun