Stirrup Spout Vessel Depicting a Jaguar

The Chavín were one of the earliest Peruvian, pre-Columbian cultures. In Chavín ceramics, shamans who transformed themselves to enter the spirit world are associated with jaguars - symbols of magical change. Jaguars are powerful predators who rule both day and night in three realms - on land, in the air in trees, and in the water.

Circular spots in this jaguar's fur mimic those of the real animal, but they also suggest spots that appear before the eyes of shamans undergoing hallucinogenic experiences as they enter the spirit world.