Pre-Columbian
- Refers to the time in the Americas before the sixteenth century
— before Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492 with the first
wave of European colonists / invaders.
Examples:
Mexico, Puebla State, Olmec peoples, "Baby" Figure, 12th-9th century
BCE,
ceramic,
pigment, height
13 3/8 inches (34 cm), Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY.
Mexico: state of Guerrero, Ahuelican, Highland Olmec, Middle Formative period, 900-500 BCE, Tablet , which has an incised glyphic inscription, greenstone, 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 3/4 inches, Dallas Museum of Art. See tablet.
Peru, Jequetepeque Valley, Tembladera, Feline-Head Bottle, 6th-4th century BCE,
ceramic,
post-fired paint, height
6 5/8 inches (16.8 cm), Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY.
Peru, Ica Valley, Mantle, 2nd-1st century BCE,
Paracas, camelid hair, 54 1/4 x 74 3/8 inches (137 x 188.9 cm),
Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY. Images of twelve "oculate
beings" are worked into this mantle by a technique called
interlinked sprang, which replicates the pattern in mirror image
on either side of the vertical center. See textile.
Peru, Nasca Valley, Nasca peoples, Drum, 1st century BCE
- 2nd century CE,
polychrome ceramic, height
17 3/4 inches (45.1 cm), Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY.
Central America, Costa Rica, Guanacaste-Nicoya, Rosales Zoned Engraved Female Effigy, Period IV, 300 BCE - 300 CE, bichromatic ceramic, 12 3/4 x 9 1/4 inches (32.1 x 23.3 cm), Michael C. Carlos Museum, Emory U, Atlanta, GA. See effigy.
Peru,
Paracas Peninsula, Border Fragment, 1st-2nd century, cotton,
camelid hair, length 41
1/4 inches (104.8 cm), Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY. See fragment.
Ecuador or Colombia, Tolita-Tumaco peoples,
Standing Figure, 1st-5th century, hammered
gold, height
9 inches (22.9 cm), Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY.
Panama, Double Eagle Pendant, 1st-5th century,
Initial Style, cast gold, height
4 3/8 inches (11.1 cm), Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY. See jewelry and
pendant.
Mesoamerica, Highland Guatemala, Maya, Lidded Bowl with Jaguar - Old Man, Transformation Figure, Early Classic Period, 200-550 CE, ceramic, diameter 7 7/8 x 4 5/8 inches (19.7 x 11.6 cm), Michael C. Carlos Museum, Emory U, Atlanta, GA. See Mesoamerican art.
Peru, North Coast, Moche peoples, Pair of Earflares, 3rd-7th century, gold, turquoise,
sodalite, shell, diameter
3 3/16 inches (8 cm), Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY.
Chile, San Pedro de Atacama region, Snuff Tray, 4th-10th century, wood,
length 5 1/8 inches (13
cm), Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY.
Colombia, Cauca River Valley (?), Quimbaya,
Lime Container (Poporo), 5th-10th century,
cast gold, height
9 inches (22.9 cm), Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY.
Mexico or Guatemala, Maya peoples, Seated Figure, 6th century, wood,
height 14 inches (35.6 cm),
Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY.
Mexico, Central Highlands, Teotihuacan peoples,
Standing Figure, 7th-mid 8th century,
greenstone, remnants of
cinnabar, height
16 1/8 inches (41 cm), Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY.
Peru, Huarmey Valley (?), Moche-Wari peoples,
Tunic, 7th-9th century, cotton, camelid
hair, height 34 1/4 inches
(87 cm), Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY. See textile.
Peru (south coast), Nasca-Wari peoples, Tunic, 7th-9th century, camelid hair,
21 1/2 x 43 1/4 inches (54.6 x 109.9 cm), Metropolitan Museum
of Art, NY. See textile.
Guatemala or Mexico, Mayan, Relief of Shield Jaguar and Lady Xoc,
c. 8th century.
Guatemala, Petén Department, Maya
peoples, Vessel with Mythological Scene, 8th century,
ceramic,
height 5 1/2 inches (14
cm), Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY. See cylinder
and mythology.
Guatemala, Maya peoples, Vase with Snake Design, 8th century -
9th century, earthenware,
height 6 1/8 inches, Minneapolis
Institute of Arts. See snake.
Mexico, Yucatan Peninsula, Maya peoples,
El
Castillo, pyramid at Chichen Itza, c. 9th century. See
pyramid.
South America, Central Andes, Central Coast,
Chancay, Openwork Headcloth, Late Intermediate
Period, 1000-1470 CE,
cotton, embroidered square
mesh openwork, 32 x 32
inches (81 x 81 cm), Michael C. Carlos Museum, Emory U, Atlanta,
GA. See textile.
South America, Central Andes, North Coast, Chímu-Lambayeque, Pair of Earspools, Late Intermediate Period, 1000-1470 CE, repoussé gold-copper alloy and silver alloy, diameter of disk 3 x 4 7/16 inches (7.5 x 11.1 cm diameter of disk), Michael C. Carlos Museum, Emory U, Atlanta, GA. See jewelry.
Central America, Costa Rica, Guanacaste-Nicoya, Pataky, Vessel in the Form of a Jaguar, Pataky Variety, Period VI, 1000 - 1550 CE, polychrome ceramic, diameter 12 1/16 x 8 7/8 inches (30.2 x 22.2 cm), Michael C. Carlos Museum, Emory U, Atlanta, GA. See vessel.
Costa Rica, Puntarenas Province, Chiriquí,
Frog Pendant, 11th-16th century, cast gold, height
4 1/8 inches (10.5 cm), Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY. See jewelry and
Pre-Columbian art.
South America, central Andes, Inca, Paccha (Ritual Watering Vessel), Late Horizon, 1438-1550 CE, ceramic, 13 1/2 x 5 1/8 x 3 1/2 inches (33.8 x 12.8 x 8.8 cm), Michael C. Carlos Museum, Emory U, Atlanta, GA.
Peru, south highlands, Inka peoples, Tunic, 15th-16th century, camelid hair,
cotton, 37 x 29 3/4 inches (94 x 75.6 cm), Metropolitan Museum
of Art, NY. See textile.
Mexico, central highlands, Aztec peoples,
Water Goddess, 15th-early 16th century,
basalt, pigment, height
11 3/5 inches (29 cm), Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY.
Dominican Republic (?), Taino peoples, Deity Figure (Zemí), 15th-16th
century, Taino, ironwood, shell, height
26 31/32 inches (68.4 cm), Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY.
Also see archaeology, ethnic, Mesoamerican art, and Mexican art.
https://inform.quest/_art