Stirrup-spout vessel representing a man in a contorted position

Over three thousand years old, this bottle depicts a man in a contorted position. The face and body are tattooed with stylized images of human faces. While the identity of the person is unknown, it is possible that he suffered from Marfan’s Syndrome, a genetic disorder that causes loose and very flexible joints in certain individuals. Although it is difficult to know how a person like this was regarded, his representation in pottery suggests that he played an important role in the society in which he lived. The rescue excavation of a looted tomb in the Puémape cemetery allowed archaeologists to recover a ceramic fragment that fitted the Contortionist’s abdomen exactly. While this piece first came to Óscar Rodríguez Razzetto, its original owner, thanks to this archaeological find it has been possible to recover information about the source of this unique bottle. (CP)