The resemblance between man and monkey was
often used to comic effect in Peruvian art.
Monkeys are shown engaged in activities
normally associated with humans, sometimes
lampooning the weaknesses of society. On the
simplest level, this unusual vessel depicts a
monkey in a state of sexual excitement. To the
Chavin culture that created it, however, there
may have been subtle nuances of meaning. It
may have suggested that in sexual matters man
is little better than an animal. It may have been
an icon of fertility, meant to appease the spirits
of nature. It may also be a parody of an enemy
captive, for the monkey wears a rope around its
neck as prisoners often do. Rendered with a
naive charm, this is an artifact that will continue
to intrigue. Beneath its bold surface lie secrets
hidden by time.
- (K.018)
|
