Quero (qero, kero): human head effigy

Modeled quero forms developed around the middle of the 17th century, representing exclusively feline and human heads. The modeled human faces generally represent Antis individuals from the untamed eastern quarter, or Antisuyu. They are identifiable through their horizontal stripes of face paint. The scenes on the back often depict the confrontation or social relation between Inca and Antis individuals. During the Spanish colonial period, the ideological dichotomy between a “tame” Inca and “wild” Antis was perpetuated through these quero designs.