1. Stirrup Vessels Stirrup Spouts and Stirrup Handles Pre-Columbian America

2. Pre-Columbian societies had an abundance of clay, minerals and oxides to create beautiful polychrome (many colored) vessels, such as the one above. While the style of decoration is unique to Central and South America, the shape of the body is similar to pottery of other cultures around the world.

3. These are vessels whose form is unique, because of the way in which the handles and spouts are created. These vessels have STIRRUP SPOUTS. Notice the 2 cylinders which attach to form a single spout at the top.

4. Though other societies had a version of the stirrup pot, such as the one above from Europe, the stirrups didn’t connect spouts like the vessels from So. America.

5. The purpose of Stirrup Vessels is unknown, though experts believe they were used in a ritual. They often had decorations or the forms of stylized animals, plants, people, and mythical beings. Though the paintings were usually stylized, the sculpted images could be very realistic.

6. Many Stirrup pots are sculpted to form an image of a person, animal, or plant, such as this cocoa pod with a monkey spout. Cocoa was a major currency among Pre-Columbian peoples.

7. Some Stirrup pots have a STIRRUP HANDLE, made from a solid strap of clay, rather than hollow chambers. This example also has a single spout.

8. STIRRUP HANDLES are often on DOUBLE SPOUTED vessels, with a strap of clay connecting the two spouts.

9. Which of the following describe this vessel? Stirrup Spout Stirrup Handle Ceramic Polychrome Realistic Highly Stylized Double Spout

10. Which of the following describe this vessel? Stirrup Spout Ceramic Realistic

11. Which of the following describe this vessel? Stirrup Spout Stirrup Handle Ceramic Polychrome Realistic Highly Stylized Double Spout

12. Which of the following describe this vessel? Stirrup Handle Ceramic Polychrome Highly Stylized Double Spout

13. images are from these sites: http://www.ceramicsmuseum.alfred.edu/collections/ http://www.ceramicsmuseum.alfred.edu/collections/ http://www.thinker.org/index.asp

14. Stirrup Spouts and Stirrup Handles Pre-Columbian America This presentation was created for educational use only.