Ancient Peruvian Pottery

In Lima, Peru, there is a private museum called the Larco Herrera museum. Founded in 1926, it is almost exclusively dedicated to pre-Columbian ceramics.

Why a ceramics museum? I was puzzled when the tour guide recommended it, but trusted his judgement and opened myself to something new. And it was certainly worth it!

The ceramics were ornamental, utilitarian, or sometimes used both ways. They were records of daily life, showing household activities and including farm or pet animals. Some seemed to be portraits of prominent people. There are renditions of war, and human sacrifice. The people also seemed to be keen observers of animal behavior.

Apart from the main museum, there are two additional sections not to be missed. The first is the store room which is often open to the public, where there are literally stacks and stacks of well-preserved ceramics arranged by theme. The second is a little annex museum showing the activities of daily life that should not be visited by little children. While I was there, a party of Europeans walked in and could not stop giggling and snickering at the exaggerated dimensions of vital human parts, particularly the male member. (Sorry I will not be including those pictures here… don’t want to attract the wrong sort of attention to this blog 🙂 )