Chancay Civilization
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Glasgow Museums has a collection of Chancay ceramic vessels and textiles, dating from 1200 to 1450, which were developed on the central coast of Peru, across the coastal valleys of Huaura, Chancay and Chillón north of Lima. This collection comprises Chancay pottery and textiles, characterized by geometric design and ornamentation and stylized, simplistic animal and human motifs. Chancay ceramics were made in two-piece moulds and most were coated with a thin white slip before being decorated with black or dark brown designs, although some have no paint and expose the red clay beneath. The surfaces of these ceramics were not smoothed or burnished after painting, and are characterized by a rough, gritty texture. Flask-shaped jars or ‘cántaros’ with wide mouths are a common shape, as are effigy jars, double-chambered whistling bottles, bowls, figurines and animal vessels. The collection also includes textiles, recovered from Chancay tombs, which include embroidered paint-decorated fabrics, tapestry, fine gauzes and three-dimensional groups of dolls. The Chancay civilization is well known for outstanding weaving skills and vessels depicting strange and humorous tales. Its pottery style developed from around 1200 until the time of Inca occupation in about 1450.
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