Encyclopedia of the Incas

vessel shape, to facilitate comparative research with Inca materials from the
provinces. In Meyers’s system, Inca ceramics are divided into seven formal
classes: (1) aríbalos (tall-necked jars); (2) other narrow-necked jars; (3) wide-
mouthed jars; (4) wide-mouthed pots (ollas); (5) vessels with or without feet; (6)
plates; and (7) cups. Each category contains from one to several forms, with 14
principal morphological types recognized in total.
In general, the Inca state ceramic assemblage comprises a limited number of
highly standardized vessel forms. The emphasis on standardization extended
beyond basic vessel morphology to encompass vessel proportion and decorative
treatment, as well. Statistical analyses have demonstrated a remarkably high
degree of adherence to the maintenance of correct proportional relationships
between such elements as rim diameter, vessel height, and maximal body
diameter, as well as the existence of distinctive size classes for each vessel
category. Similarly, it is clear that the unique polychrome style of the Inca state
was based on a specific repertoire of geometric motifs typically executed on
well-slipped and polished vessel surfaces. In contrast to most other earlier
ceramic styles in the Andes, the Incas favored abstract rather than
representational or figurative design and decorative elements. Archaeological
and ethnohistoric evidence indicates that the Incas relied on enclaves of pottery-
making specialists (see Labor Service) for the production of imperial state
wares, though it is also clear from the archaeological record that local potters
engaged in the (probably unauthorized) replication of imperial forms and styles.
The quintessential and most common vessel form within the Inca ceramic
assemblage is the tall-necked jar with a wide flaring rim and oval-shaped body
commonly known as the aríbalo (Meyers’s Form 1). This vessel type is readily
recognizable on the basis of both formal and decorative attributes. Its diagnostic
morphological features include the horizontally flared rim, the pierced lugs on
the underside of the rim, the modeled protuberance on the center front, the
vertical side strap handles, and the conical base. While the aríbalo varies
considerably in terms of size—from miniatures under 10 centimeters tall (4
inches tall) to oversized jars more than 1 meter (3 feet) in height—these five
morphological features are invariably present.
Similarly, there appears to have been fairly strict rules governing the type and
placement of ornamentation found on aríbalos. The primary zones of decoration
were the neck, the upper shoulder of the back side, and the front half of the
vessel body. A large percentage of aríbalos utilize one of three design formats on
the front panel: the first consists of two central, vertical bands filled with a cross