A010613-605
Quero Or Ceremonial Chicha Divination Vessel
Bolivia
South America
Indigenous Andean
20th C.
Carved Wood
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During the Inca Empire, when written language did not exist, the people used visual iconography and rituals to seal formal agreements. This often involved chicha, a fermented alcoholic drink poured into bowls called quero. Some of the most interesting types of quero are those carved from wood with figures of oxen inside. These were used to seal marriages. The woman drank from one side and the man from the other, officially making them husband and wife.
