The production and use of Loro ceramics in the Middle Horizon (c. ad 650–1000) south coast of Peru persisted during a period of cultural conflict as the highland Wari empire annexed this region. Primarily residing in the Las Trancas valley, just beyond the locus of Wari control, the Loro developed tight ethnic bonds and seem to have maintained autonomy for the duration of the empire's presence. Loro ceramics embody the culture's development of a local identity, particularly evident in face-neck jars, one-handled vessels consisting of a modelled human head atop a globular body. With standardized facial features, a range of reductive motifs and a tendency toward female representation, Loro face-neck jars contrast markedly with similar Wari vessels depicting individuals dressed in elite male costume and bearing symbols of Wari state religion. A significant percentage of Loro face-neck jars are sexed or gendered female, an unusual occurrence in Andean visual culture. This article frames these objects within Andean constructs of gender complementarity, arguing that Loro female face-neck jars visually declared their gendered opposition to Wari, protecting their autonomy through the implicit acquiescence and complementarity of femininity.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.