Shipibo-Conibo Amazon Pottery Bowl with Stand - 6.75" Diam X 1" H (#3)

Striking geometric-patterned and glazed earthenware bowl made by the Shipibo-Conibo people who live along the Ucayali River, a southern tributary of the Upper Amazon in Peru. 

This shallow clay bowl has a bottom underside with a background color of buff on which are fine lines, black geometric designs, wide black geometric designs, and sparse orange-colored designs. The rim is black, the inner rim has geometric shapes and the third inner rim of the bowl has a rust-orange background color on which there are geometric designs.

The interior center of the bowl has a face surrounded by an askewed black circle. The face has top corners and a rounded bottom; eyelashed eyes, a large protruding nose with a scalloped horizontal black line and a long rectangular-shaped rust-orange color mouth. The bottom of the face reveals four large, black tentacles. This image in the center of the interior of the bowl represents an octopus and plays an important role in the Amazonian healing ceremony.

Shipibo-Conibo pottery is a cultural hallmark of the Shipibo-Conibo people of Peru, and has been produced for over 1200 years. The Shipibo are one of the few indigenous groups in which the primary artists are women. They make pottery using the coil method. After firing, the pots are treated with resin to seal them and make the pots shiny. The geometric designs on the pottery are called KENE` and are based on patterns found in nature, such as the skin of the anaconda or the veins of the leaf. The designs are believed to represent the Shipibo-Conibo worldview, including cosmology, health and gender. The pottery's patterns are believed to represent a communication with the spiritual world and the power of the Amazon rainforest.

This would be a great stand-alone piece for any interior setting from Southwestern, Eclectic... to California Casual or Coastal Modern. Combine it with our other offerings to build an indigenous pottery collection. Custom acrylic display stand included. 

Place of Origin: Peru

Date of Manufacture: 1950s 

Condition: Very Good

Wear: Black firing smudge on underside of bowl which is consistent with age and use. Please refer to pictures. 

Dimensions:

Bowl: 6.75 in. Diam X 1 in. H

Acrylic Stand: 5.25 in. L X 3.5 in. W X 5 in. H 

Reference: 

Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian

Lam Museum of Anthropology at Wake Forest University

Daily Art Magazine, The Link Between Shipibo Pottery and Feminine Identity: Designs from the Peruvian Amazon by Lauren Dorsey

Explore more Amazon Pottery at Our Taste Design.