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Feline Mortar

700–1 BCE
(900-200 BCE)
stone, pigment
Overall: 5.8 x 11 cm (2 5/16 x 4 5/16 in.)
In memory of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Humphreys, gift of their daughter Helen 1957.494.a
Location: 232 Andean
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Description

Size suggests that this Chavín-style mortar was not used to grind bulky staples like corn, but instead pigments or plant hallucinogens used in religious rites to achieve spiritual insight and communion with cosmic forces. This may come from Pacopampa, a site in the northern highlands where elites adopted Chavín deities and worshiped them alongside local deities. These small sculptures illustrate the appeal and the spread of Chavín religion.
Feline Mortar

Feline Mortar

700–1 BCE

Peru, North Highlands, Pacopampa(?), Chavín style (900-200 BCE)

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