|
HOME :
Pre-Columbian Art :
Toltec Art : Toltec Plumbate Vessel in the Form of a Hunchback
|
 |
|
|
|
Toltec Plumbate Vessel in the Form of a Hunchback - CK.0094
Origin: Soconusco, Guatemala
Circa: 1000
AD
to 1200
AD
Dimensions:
6.5" (16.5cm) high
x 5.75" (14.6cm) wide
Collection: Pre-Columbian
Style: Toltec
Medium: Plumbate
Location: United States
|
|
|
| Photo Gallery |
|
|
| Description |
|
The Toltec civilization first gained ascendany in
the
Valley of Mexico around 900 A.D., after the fall
of Teotihuacan. Although their origins and
early
history are obscure, the Toltecs appear to have
ancient ties to both the Mixtec and the
Zapotec.
The word Toltec means “master builders” in
the
Nahuatl language, a testament to the
sophistication of Toltec constructions. Their art
and architecture was highly influenced by
Teotihuacan as well as the ancient Olmec
culture.
The Toltecs were technologically advanced,
capable of smelting metals. Their stonework
was
impeccable as the ruins of Tula demonstrate.
This
archaeological site is believed to be Tollan, the
legendary capital of the Toltec civilization
referred to in a number of postconquest
sources.
Their social structure was headed by an elite
class of warriors. Excavation have uncovered
the
ceremonial center that included a pyramid
structure topped by a temple dedicated to the
hero-god Quetzalcoatl.
This stunning Toltec vessel, known as
plumbate ware, is distinguished by its
attractive glassy luster, which was produced
by covering the vessel in a slip high in iron and
aluminum content and then firing the pot at
high temperatures. Greatly prized as a luxury
item, plumbate vessels such as this formed a
unique component in the repertoire of
Mesoamerican art. During the height of the
Toltec civilization, plumbate works were
produced at only one place: on the Pacific
slope of the Soconusco region in modern
Guatemala. Furthermore, the process by
which it was made seems to have been a
closely guarded secret. Such wares were
highly valued throughout Mesoamerica and
were traded along commercial networks that
extended as far as Panama. Plumbate was so
desirable in part because it maintains an
exceptional hardness that can be scarcely
scratched with steel.
- (CK.0094)
|
| |
|
