Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino

From one colour to many colours

The El Bato and the Llolleo were the first groups to make ceramics in the Central Zone. Their finely polished monochromatic pots and pitchers were decorated with modelling and incisions. These stylistic features are also found on contemporary vessels in southern and northern Chile. Around A.D. 1000, Aconcagua ceramicists broke with this ancient tradition by introducing a new style that included bowls painted with designs in two or more colours.

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From one colour to many colours

From one colour to many colours

From one colour to many colours

Jar with a human face design. Llolleo. Universidad de Chile, PE-385

Anthropomorphic strap-handle pitchers El Bato. MCHAP, 2599

“Duck-shaped” pitcher. Llolleo. Préstamo Universidad de Chile, PE-388

Bichrome bowl with “trinacrio” design Aconcagua, Donación Santa Cruz-Yaconi, 2033

Aconcagua ceramic maker. Illustration, José Pérez de Arce.