This Nariño bowl, dating between 500–1500 CE, is a fine example of the painted ceramic tradition of the Andean region of southern Colombia and northern Ecuador. The vessel has a rounded body and has a small point on one side.
The surface is decorated in the bold black-and-red resist technique characteristic of Nariño ware. Using a wax or slip-resist method, artisans created striking geometric and linear zigzags that stand out in sharp contrast against the polished red ground. The effect is both visually dynamic and symbolically charged, with many of the patterns believed to carry cosmological or social meaning.
Bowls of this type likely served in ritual feasting or ceremonial offerings, where both form and decoration elevated their function beyond the utilitarian.
