This masterfully crafted, polychrome ceramic vessel is an outstanding example of the material culture of the Shipibo-Conibo peoples, indigenous to the Ucayali River basin in the Peruvian Amazon. The ceramics of the Shipibo-Conibo are exclusively produced by women using a sophisticated coil-building technique, achieving the remarkably thin walls for which this indigenous group is renowned throughout the Americas. The exterior surface of the vessel is treated with a fine, light-colored slip and bears the characteristic, complex geometric painting known in the indigenous language as kené. These labyrinthine lines and zigzag patterns, applied with natural reddish and dark earth pigments, are deeply rooted in the culture's cosmology, often reflecting the river system, visionary experiences, or cosmic order. The voluminous vessel displays the typical bulbous body and a constricted neck, classically identifying it as a chomo. In indigenous daily life, these large receptacles primarily serve as containers for water (ainbo chomo) or for the fermentation of traditional manioc beer (masato chomo). The present example captivates with its highly authentic condition, pointing to an original functional history within the daily life of the Shipibo-Conibo. The darkened, deep-black interior, the pronounced soot and scorch marks on the heavily rounded base, and the tactile abrasion at the rim bear witness to a functional history in direct contact with hearth fires and food. Acquired directly from the indigenous inhabitants of the village during anthropological field studies, one of the photos shows one of the traditional villages near Pucallpa, where the ceramic vessels originated. The exceptional curatorial significance of this piece lies not only in its sculptural and graphic presence, but above all in its absolutely seamless provenance and exhibition history. The vessel was part of a documented ethnographic exhibition in 2005, as shown by the photograph of the installation. Furthermore, the legal origin is legitimized by complete, official export permits from the Peruvian Instituto Nacional de Cultura (INC): This includes both the official authorization for the transfer of the object from Pucallpa to Lima, as well as the final certificate, which authorizes the export from Peru to Germany. An artifact of such aesthetic power, coupled with an impeccable documentation of indigenous use and export, represents an exceedingly rare addition to any discerning collection of South American art. PROVENANCE Acquired directly from indigenous inhabitants near Pucallpa, Peru, during field studies by an anthropologist (2004). EXHIBITED Part of an ethnographic exhibition (2005).