Standing Female Figure (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Large female figures like this pair were commonly included in Chancay burials. The figures probably represent guardian spirits intended to accompany the deceased into the afterlife, although their exact significance remains unclear. Upraised hands were a common gesture of prayer throughout the New World, suggesting that the figures represent worshippers or followers of the deceased.
Late Intermediate
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Sandford G. Etherington
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
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