The Pre-Columbian cultures of Ecuador are
among the oldest in South America and among
the first to master the art of pottery. Although
we know little about the peoples themselves or
their traditions, historians have been able to
piece together a picture of life in Ancient
Ecuador thanks in part to the art and artifacts left
behind. The culture of Valdivia created some of
the oldest known works of art in the Americas.
Situated along the coastal strip of Ecuador, the
Valdivians established a thriving society that
flourished for around two thousand years (from
approximately 3500 to 1500 B.C.). Today they
are famed for their small fertility figures,
believed to be the earliest representational works
of art in the Americas, first carved from stone,
later formed from terracotta.
Hundreds of years later after the Valdivians
disappear from the archaeological record
appears another culture to which the name
Chorrera has been attached (lasting from circa
1100-300 B.C.). Little is known about this
culture; however, it is significant for its
widespread geographical reach. As such, their
artistic style greatly influenced those diverse
cultures that began to emerge in the final
centuries of the Chorrera period, a time
historians have labeled the Period of Regional
Development.
Among the most prominent cultures that
flourished in the wake of the Chorrera are the
cultures of Bahia, Jama Coaque, and La Tolita.
Around 400 B.C. the culture of La Tolita
emerged, centered on the island of La Tolita,
from which its name derived, lasting until
roughly 400 A.D. The island was a great
ceremonial center to which flocked worshippers
from varying regions of Pre-Columbian Ecuador
to pray to their gods and bury their deceased. As
a result, a sophisticated artistic tradition
developed in order to provide pilgrims with
sculptural offerings, luxurious festive attire and
funerary apparels.
This charming little figure from the Coastal area
of Ecuador, gives us only basic observations of
Pre-Hispanic Ecuador. The cultural traits of
Ecuadorian sculpted figures included the wearing
of nose rings and piercing the body for the
placement of ornaments. This ancient work or
art perhaps represented a shaman or other such
important cultural figure. He is richly attired and
great emphasis is placed on the details of the
face and costume, while little is made of the
hands and feet. His colors of soft beige, brown
and vibrant yellow gives the piece a more
interesting look and enables us to marvel at the
artistic talent of its creator.
