VIRU, Pérou, 200 av. - 200 ap. J.-C

Monkey man stirrup vase, 19.5 x 12 x 20 cm. A double-bodied vase and an exceptional wind instrument, this ceramic takes the form of a globular bottle on the one hand, and a seated figure on the other, communicating through a section and linked by a bridge handle. The bottle has an opening, that of its neck. On the other hand, the figure has perforations around the skull. And, the openings of the eyes and the mouth communicate with those all around the skull because the head of the character is hollow. The "whistling vase", or the "water flute", made of clay symbolizes the four elements: earth (the raw material of ceramics), fire (for the firing), air (the breath that passes through the instrument) and water (which produces the notes). Some South American flutes take the form of two joined jugs where the air passes through the water that flows from one jug to the other. Most of the flutes have holes that are plugged with the fingers, or not, to vary the air which allows to form different notes. This vase is in a remarkable state of preservation. Its color is perfectly preserved. The face of this monkey man character is very neat, we can distinguish a brow arch well marked by yellow concave lines. The eyes and the cheeks are marked by straight stripes. The ears are free and yellow markings draw ear pendants. The arms are folded over the body of this figure, the shoulders and forearms are hollowed out. The fingers are marked by fine rectilinear incisions. The fingernails are marked by a yellow color. This figure seems to be wearing a tunic, recognizable by the yellow bands. We can also see the animal's legs, small and striated.