Vessel

Ceremonial sculpture vessel with strap handle. It represents a bearded character, with round lips blowing into a wind instrument (antara), which he holds in his hands. He wears a hairnet and a cape, which is also a fishing net that even has fish depicted inside. He has body paint or tattoos on his arms with bird and fish motifs. These attributes identify the figure as a fisherman blended with that of a musician. Music played an important role in the Nazca rituals, which is why many dancers, musicians, and instruments usually appear in the pictorial representations on their ceramics. This depiction possibly alludes to fishing propitiation rituals, since this activity played a significant part in the development of this coastal village’s economy. It was so important that there are figures of sea deities in their religion, like the orca, which was one of the most feared.