Museo Larco Potter and Brain Surgery

Stirrup-Spout Vessel

There is a lot of pre-Columbian pottery on display in Lima’s Museo Larco.  Above is a stirrup-spout vessel, a design that originated some 3,000 to 4,000 years ago in South America.

Stirrup-Spout Vessel

These main vessels were pour-cast in a mold, and the stirrup-shaped spouts were handcrafted and attached to the main vessels.  The exteriors were then decoratively finished.

Stirrup-Spout Vessel

Not all ancient Peruvian pottery on display at Museo Larco is functional.  Some examples are entirely decorative.

Museo Larco pottery

Museo Larco pottery

There’s even an example of ancient Peruvian Corningware®:

Ancient Corningware® — just kidding

Actually, that above image is of a display stand in the museum.  In addition to pottery there are also examples of tapestry and decorative fish:

Museo Larco tapestry

Fish lures — Just kidding

Museo Larco is home to gold artifacts as well:

Museo Larco gold

Then there’s this stunning display of ancient Peruvian brain surgery:

Indications of brain surgery — Not kidding

Yes, these holes were made into the skulls of living people, people who continued to live well afterward as evidenced by the regeneration of bone material at the sites of the removals.

On Wednesday we’ll continue our tour of Museo Larco with images of the grounds, more gold artifacts, and even a very brief look at the erotic pottery collection.  Did that last one get your attention?  Until then, here’s one last pottery image for today:

Museo Larco pottery