Smarthistory – Maize cobs

Overview of Inka Art and Culture

• Introduction to Inka artistic expression, specifically focusing on the Maize Cobs sculpture from 1440–1533.

• The sculpture represents a corn cob mimicking the appearance of ripe corn ready for harvest.

• The artwork exemplifies the Inka's unique blend of abstract and naturalistic forms in their small-scale metal objects.

Maize Cobs Sculpture

• Description: Life-sized sculpture made of a gold-silver alloy, depicting maize (Zea mays).

• Distinct features:

  • Individual kernels protruding from a cob nestled in jagged metallic leaves.

  • Hollow and delicate craftsmanship by Inka metalsmiths combining silver and copper.

• Contextual significance:

  • Reflects agricultural importance to Inka civilization, particularly maize used in making chicha (maize beer).

  • Integral to ritual practices and state religion supporting governance.

Historical Context of Inka and Spanish Encounter

• Arrival of Spaniards in 1534:

  • Description of the looting of gold-silver artworks, including the Maize Cobs, post-inca leadership defeat.

  • Historical accounts by chronicler Pedro de Cieza de León, illustrating the Spaniards' plunder of the gardens in the Qorikancha temple.

• Notable items in Spanish collections included a gold maize stalk and figures made of precious metals, representing Inka traditions.

Inka Ritual Practices and Offerings

• The Qorikancha temple as a pivotal site of Inka cosmology, embodying the empire's connection to the divine.

• Description of metallic offerings’ role in various rituals:

  • Offerings found across Inka territories included both agricultural produce and symbolic representations of animals.

  • Symbiotic relationship between the Inka state and diverse ecosystems represented; maize as an essential imperial foodstuff.

  • Vertical Archipelago System: Inka agricultural adaptations enabling the use of different elevations for cultivation.

Recent Scholarship and Authenticity Questions

• Examination of doubts surrounding the authenticity of the Maize Cobs in the Ethnological Museum, Berlin.

• Discussion of the implications of such offerings in reinforcing Inka claims of divine ancestry and control over nature, connecting their identity to the Sun deity.

Conclusion

• The significance of the Maize Cobs sculpture extends beyond mere artistry; it intertwines cultural identity, ritual practice, and the historical intersections of Inka and Spanish encounters.