Style, Aesthetics, and Politics: Polychrome Ceramic Iconography in the Tiwanaku Valley, AD 500-1100

Polychrome ceramics from the Tiwanaku Valley (AD 500–1100) reveal that aesthetic iconography played distinct roles in shaping political power, social cohesion, and cultural identity. Central to Tiwanaku's statecraft, these artifacts were used to foster solidarity during large-scale feasts, symbolize elite status through intricate tomb vessels, and engage peripheral communities through playful reproductions. The decline of Tiwanaku-style production in the 12th century underscores its integral role in sustaining political authority. This study analyzes motifs across serving wares, combining motif categorization with contextual analysis to demonstrate how visual culture mediated power dynamics—uniting ceremonial centers, elites, and distant regions under a shared symbolic framework.

Augustine, J. M. F. (2019). Style, Aesthetics, and Politics: Polychrome Ceramic Iconography in the Tiwanaku Valley, AD 500-1100 [University of Chicago]. https://doi.org/10.6082/07C6E-9A132