The cultural highlight of our visit to Santiago was the national museum of pre-Columbian art, off the Plaza de Armas. Pre-Columbian art is a subject about which we knew little, but learned much, and were quite impressed. The museum is organized into "Chile before it was Chile," temporary exhibits, and the larger permanent collection which is primarily South and Meso-American. The display and organization are superb. And in English, too.
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| In "Chile before Chile" |
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| Large wooden scultpture, Birth of Venus pose |
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| Eyebrows and nose thus depicted; Picasso? |
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Exactly like the things one might see among
Maori artifacts in New Zealand; in jade too |
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| Silver |
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| Remember these earrings |
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Chileans began the practice of mummification
about 6,000BC, some time before the Egyptians |
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Snorting device and bag for snorts (used by
shaman, so it said) |
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| Exquisite textiles |
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| Late stone age geometrical figures, ritual use |
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| For us, the piece de resistance...a real quipu... |
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| No Rosetta Stone as yet found |
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| Closer up |
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| Moving upstairs to the permanent collection |
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| Look familiar, Rebecca? Dancing figures |
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I know almost nothing of ceramics, but these works struck me
as comparable to pre-Classic Greek items we have seen; same age |
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| Wait a second... I didn't think they did wheels in this hemisphere |
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| Similar to Greek |
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| Ditto |
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Wearing flayed skin; one of the more charming
practices |
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| Modeling new head-gear fashion |
