Moche North coast
Stirrup Vessel in the Form of the Head, Possibly Ai-Apec
100 BCE–500 CE
A Moche stirrup-spout vessel from the north coast of Peru (c. AD 100–700) shaped as a human head — possibly that of the deity Ai-apaec. Moche ceramics are renowned for their near-portrait realism: each vessel depicts a specific individual, warrior, or god with carefully observed features. The Art Institute of Chicago holds the piece as a reference object in its ancient Andean collection.
Exhibition Venue
Image source: Art Institute of Chicago