Style and media in ChimuÌ art : researching the British Museum's collections
This research examines changes in craft production on the North Coast of Peru between c.AD1000 and 1550, under first ChimuÌ and then Inka state control. It aims to assess the extent to which North Coast craft production was appropriated and deployed by the ChimuÌ and Inka elites to disseminate state-sponsored iconography. Previous studies of craft production and the role of prestige goods in the political economy are reviewed. From this basis I develop a methodology to identify and compare the technical and aesthetic qualities of ChimuÌ objects made using different craft media (primarily textiles and pottery). The British Museumâs collections provide the primary database for this research, complemented by Peruvian collections from more secure archaeological contexts. The production sequence for each artefact is systematically recorded in order to pinpoint how the iconography is incorporated into the object and to compare the steps involved. This allows me to investigate the extent to which technical principles and artisanal attitudes (or agency) interact in the production of goods. My goal is to discern those ChimuÌ traits which result from engrained North Coast craft-working traditions from those that
Halliday, Kirsten Maclean
Style and media in ChimuÌ art : researching the British Museum's collections. This research examines changes in craft production on the North Coast of Peru between c.AD1000 and 1550, under first ChimuÌ and then Inka state control. It aims to assess the extent to which North Coast craft production was appropriated and deployed by the ChimuÌ and Inka elites to disseminate state-sponsored iconography. Previous studies of craft production and the role of prestige goods in the political economy are reviewed. From this basis I develop a methodology to identify and compare the technical and aesthetic qualities of ChimuÌ objects made using different craft media (primarily textiles and pottery). The British Museumâs collections provide the primary database for this research, complemented by Peruvian collections from more secure archaeological contexts. The production sequence for each artefact is systematically recorded in order to pinpoint how the iconography is incorporated into the object and to compare the steps involved. This allows me to investigate the extent to which technical principles and artisanal attitudes (or agency) interact in the production of goods. My goal is to discern those ChimuÌ traits which result from engrained North Coast craft-working traditions from those that
style medium art british_museum collection examines_change craft_production north coast peru cad first state control aim_assess extent north coast craft_production appropriate deployed elites disseminate state sponsored iconography previous_study craft_production role prestige good political_economy review basis develop identify compare technical aesthetic quality object make_use different craft medium primarily textiles pottery british_museum collection provide primary database complement peruvian collection secure archaeological_context production_sequence artefact systematically record order pinpoint iconography incorporate object compare step involve allows investigate_extent technical principle attitude agency interact production good goal discern trait north coast craft working tradition