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Integration Period
700 – 1532 A.C.E
These characters are regularly found accompanying the deceased in their tombs. Many of these ceramic figures have survived, and the bulging of one or the other cheeks provides evidence of the chewing of coca, giving them the name “coqueros.” There are both male and female figures. The bodies of the earliest figures are covered with loincloths, and sometimes their torsos are crossed with a band that seems to end with a small bag that was perhaps used to carry the coca. The female figures wear skirts that reach down to their heels, and many of them are holding a child in their arms.
Some seem to be sitting on a stool, which as far as we know was reserved for those who occupied a prominent place in the social hierarchy. Men and women wear body paint, rings in their lower lips, nose rings and earrings, necklaces, and amulets in the shape of a phallus or a female figure.
Utilitarian ceramics have also been found in a variety of forms, such as vessels with a round body representing the human figure with characteristics similar to those of the “coqueros.” In general, these figures are decorated in negative paint.
You can view this piece and more like it in our Quito Museum. Purchase your own unique Ecuadorian art in one of our 5 shops in mainland Ecuador and the Galapagos during your next Ecuador tour. If you are interested in learning more about Ecuadorian culture and the history of Ecuador, please visit our Art in Ecuador page for many great articles about each region’s artisans and arts.