The figure depicted on the Paracas pottery bowl is typically interpreted as a supernatural or anthropomorphic "flying figure". These figures are common motifs in Paracas art and are believed to represent beings from an otherworldly or supernatural realm. The figure combines human-like traits with other features, such as claws and a three-point mouth. The way the figures are oriented on the bowl suggests they are flying or moving through a different realm, possibly related to the mountains which were considered a supernatural area. Similar figures in Paracas and the related Nasca culture often appear alongside other mythical beings and sometimes incorporate elements like "trophy heads," suggesting a connection to ritual and agricultural abundance beliefs. Paracas art, in general, reflects the culture's deep investment in the afterlife and their dependence on the natural world and agricultural cycles, with these figures likely playing a role in their cosmology and rituals.

Jar with Anthropomorphic Figure
ceramic with resinous postfire paint
650–150 BCE
Paracas
Ocucaje area, Ica Valley, south coast, Peru

#handmade #art #culture #religion #paracas #peru #flyingfigure #afterlife #spiritual #fertility #agriculture #ancientart #ancientpottery #precolumubian #prehispanic

Bottle with seated figure Nasca artist(s) 1–300 CE On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 362 Unlike their northern counterparts, who used two-piece ceramic molds for manufacturing vessels, Nazca potters shaped containers by coiling and modeling. Figure vessels like the present example are rare and have an early date in the Nazca ceramic sequence, which lasted for at least 700 years. This engaging polychrome bottle takes the shape of a seated, compact human figure. It has a single spout and strap handle. The large head sits atop the broad shoulders, and the figure's legs are pulled close to the body, with arms and hands held tightly to the chest. Details such as fingers, toes, nails, and facial features are geometricized. The eyes and mouth are slightly raised, while prominent are the nose and a protuberance on the forehead. This mysterious knob may be a reference to fishermen, who are often shown with such a feature. The figure wears a head cover and a striped hipcloth. On his left upper arm is a stylized long-beaked bird, probably a sea bird, and on his right an anthropomorphized fish, perhaps a killer whale or shark. Marine imagery features prominently in all Nazca art, reflecting the economic importance of ocean resources. A source of constant wealth as well as danger, the sea played a major role in myths of all coastal peoples in the Andes.

Fisherman bottle
polychrome pottery
100-300 CE
Nazca culture
Peru

#handmade #craft #art #pottery #bottle #seatedfigure #nazca #nasca #culture #peru #precolumbian #prehispanic #ancientart #ancientpottery #tribal #tribalart #precolumbianart #ancientamericas #fisherman #marine #symbols #fish #bird

A Mayan monkey tail spiral design, often found on Classic Period (300–850 AD) polychrome ceramics, primarily symbolizes the mythological transformation of the Hero Twins' older half-brothers into monkeys. It represents a blend of punishment, artistry, and the cyclical nature of life. The Popol Vuh Transformation: According to the Maya creation epic, the Hero Twins (Hunahpú and Ixbalanqué) tricked their arrogant older brothers, Hun Batz and Hun Chuen, into climbing a tree. The tree grew impossibly high, and when they tried to climb down, their sashes turned into tails. The spiral tail is a direct reference to this transformation moment. Following their transformation, the monkey brothers became the divine patrons of artists, scribes, musicians, and sculptors. Therefore, the motif often signifies creativity and the arts. The spiral itself, sometimes called Hunab Ku in this context, represents the continuous movement of energy, transformation, and the balance of the cosmos.

Monkey Tail spiral design plate
pottery, pigment
c. 300-800 CE
Maya culture
Mexico

#handmade #oneofakind #monkeytail #spiral #design #ancientart #pottery #Maya #mayanpottery #ancientpottery #mexico #mesoamerica #prehispanic #precolumbian #archeology #religion #culture #belief #transformation #art

Ancient Mesopotamian Pottery Shows That People Understood Symmetry and Division 4,000 years before the Sumerians Invented Numbers Long before humans learned to write numbers or invented writing, they were already thinking mathematically.

"It was believed that mathematical thinking only began once people gained the knowledge of numbers and writing. A study reveals a potentially earlier origin of math hidden in 8,000-year-old painted pottery vessels from Mesopotamia."
⚒️⚱️🏺❇️☸️ #AncientPottery #Mesopotamia #Symmetry #Math #History

❄️ Our Sale ends Tues 13 Jan! ❄️
We’ve been braving the snow to send out your handcrafted, history-loving parcels.

Still time to grab a replica before prices go up! Got your eye on something? Now’s the time.

🔗 potted-history.co.uk/collections/...

#PottedHistory #AncientPottery

My oil painting, Harsh Fragility. A Lot of learning has taken place doing this piece, from not having a firm plan in place to paint cloth to the meticulous detail inside the bowl. Planning! Planning is essential. I will finish the turquoise next, step one will be adding in the rest of the light blue, and shading the fabric folds, step two one more layer of Cadmium Red Deep on the background, step three a Pthalo Green Glaze to achieve Turquoise.

A shadowbox set up reference photo of an ancient native bowl (about 800 years old) that was found in a load of fill dirt from a home my mother was having built in Globe, AZ. She found all the pieces and glued them back together. Here, the bowl is photographed on a turquoise cloth foundation with a deep crimson backdrop. It is pictured with a cholla cactus, a wildflower and a desert willow beanpod.

#oilpainting #ancientpottery #artofthesouthwest #stilllife #realism #shadowbox #artist #art #contemporaryart #indirectpainting #harshfragility

Title: Harsh Fragility

Brushtime: 15 hrs. WIP

Oil on 9x12 inch canvas

So much learning has happened, and is happening, painting this piece.

When you get to see a ton of ancient Greek pottery and jewelry. Saw amazing stuff on my trip to Athens.

#ancientpottery
#pottery
#ancientjewelry

I've been obsessed with bronze age pottery lately and made these while my insanity was running wild 😆.
Hopefully they survive the kiln tonight 🙏.

#pottery #ceramics #wildclay #terracotta #ancientpottery #earthenware #bronzeage #art #artist #artisan #gayart #queerart

🏺 Love history & ancient pottery? Dive into our YouTube channel to explore ancient skills, fascinating techniques, and the stories behind stunning pottery. Let’s preserve history together! 🕰️✨
👉 Watch now:
youtube.com/@PottedHistory

#AncientPottery #HistoryLovers #PottedHistory

The Nazca culture, flourishing in the Nazca Valley and surrounding areas of southern Peru during the Early Intermediate Period (c. 200 BC–AD 600), is renowned for its intricate geoglyphs, vibrant textiles, and distinctive pottery, showcasing a sophisticated understanding of art, agriculture, and water management in a challenging desert environment.

Jar Depicting Rows of Llamas and Abstract Stepped Motifs
ceramic and pigment
180 BCE–500 CE
Nazca culture
South coast, Peru

#pottery #ancientpottery #art #ancientart #nazca #peru #llama #abstract #design #jar #nazcaculture #ancientperu #ancientartsofamerica

ATTIC POTTERY Fragments w/ Amazons
Fr. #Spina #Etruria
#Attica imports
6, 5BC
#ArchaeologicalMuseum #Adria | MANA
Phs©MSP
Ph-ed objcts're cllctin itms of MANA
Sorry 4the wtrmrks

#ancientpottery #vasepainting #archaeology #ancient #etruscan #greek #mythology #amazons #amazzoni #oiorpata #museology

Vessel in the Form of a Warrior’s Helmet
ceramic and pigment
100 BCE–500 CE
Moche
North coast, Peru

#ancient #precolumbian #prehispanic #moche #peru #ceramic #pottery #ancientpottery #art #ancientart #artsofancientamerica #aic

🏺 Last Chance! 10% Off Ends Tonight ✨

Time’s almost up—our 10% off offer ends at 23:59 GMT! Grab a handcrafted replica at a fantastic price before it's gone.

🛒 Shop now: 👉 potted-history.co.uk/collections

#PottedHistory #AncientPottery #HistoricalTreasures #Potsofhistory #GrahamTaylor

🏺 Looking for a standout addition to your collection? This Bronze Age Irish bowl food vessel, inspired by an artefact found at Kilmartin’s Glebe Cairn, is beautifully handcrafted and rich in history.

Bring it home: potted-history.co.uk/products/bro...

#PottedHistory #BronzeAge #AncientPottery

Ancient Moche pottery circa 400 CE from modern-day Peru.

#ancient #moche #mochica #earlychimu #peru #ancientpottery #pottery #tribalart #art #ancientart #ceramics

The wild clay oil lamps are finished 😁.
Fired to 2,100°, with a liner glaze on the inside.
I think they're adorable 😍.

#pottery #ceramics #art #artist #gayart #gayartist #gayboy #gaycountry #gay #lgbtq #queerart #wildclay #ancientpottery #oillamp #terracotta #artisan #craft

The wild clay burnished and fired to 2,000 degrees 😁.
The color variation comes from the hematite stone I burnished it with 😍.
The bowl cracked to pieces, so I made a bottle lol

#wildclay #pottery #ancientpottery #ceramicart #gayart #gayartist #gayboy #handmade #terracotta #handcrafted #gayfarmer

In case you were wondering how this pot was going to stand up... This is how lol.

#pottery #ceramics #ceramicart #ancientpottery #oldworld #gayart #art #artist #gayartist #gaypride

Just some after dark burnishing 🙂.

#ceramics #pottery #burnishedpottery #ancientpottery #art #artist #gay #gayart #gayartist

🏺 Love history & ancient pottery? Dive into our YouTube channel to explore ancient skills, fascinating techniques, and the stories behind stunning pottery. Let’s preserve history together! 🕰️✨
👉 Watch now: www.youtube.com/@PottedHistory
#AncientPottery #HistoryLovers #PottedHistory

Old art re-upload (Jan-May 2024): Assorted pottery pieces
#pottery #ceramics #handmade #sculpture #clay #art #potterylove #artist #artclass #clayart #handbuilt #wheelthrown #ceramicart #studio #craft #handcrafted #artemis #sculpting #snail #orb #teapot #statue #sculpture #ancientpottery #greenware

Todays hobby has been brought to you by clay! First time trying my hand at coiled pottery. I need more practice. Rims are hard! #pottery #ancientpottery