Small ceremonial cup called Kero
Culture of La Playa-Inca, Peru and Salta province, Argentina
Circa 1400–1550
Drink
Height: 5 cm; Diameter: 4.7 cm
(old, small traces of wear stabilized in the wood, signs of use, some lost inlays, crusty internal patina)

Wooden goblet of truncated conical shape, slightly flared at the neck and decorated with an incised design featuring two superimposed friezes of geometric patterns.

Exclusively reserved for the elite, kéros were used in pairs for corn beer – called chicha – during libations or ceremonial rituals. Indeed, tradition dictated that two individuals drink together from cups of similar size, design, and decoration to strengthen their bond.

Bibliography:
A comparable example is kept at the Musée du Quai Branly under inventory number 71.1908.23.2193 and another at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Text and photos © FCP CORIDON