Dish

Accession Number1987.022.0001

VesselNuestra Señora de Atocha (1622)

Datecirca 1600

DescriptionA shallow, circular silver dish with a fluted bowl centered by a wreathed medallion containing a large bird that clearly has elements both of a condor and pelican, the former a sacred Inca symbol, the latter a Catholic symbol of the sacrificial Christ. The wide, molded border is elaborately decorated with various scenes of daily Native Peruvian life: a man leads a llama; a woman weaves with a loom; another man digs with a chakitaclla (foot plow); another holds a quero (drinking vessel) while holding hands with a woman. All are wearing Incan-style clothing and interspersed amongst these figures are buildings of traditional Incan stonework. Images of trees, owls, and an unidentified type of mammal punctuate the scenes. This European style vessel decorated with Native Andean themes is a powerful illustration of the merging of the two cultures in the early seventeenth century.