Lab 1 The artifact that we worked with during our first lab was a wooden figurine. It depicted a man playing a wind instrument with a bird on his head. It was one of the largest artifacts in the lab and it had caught our attention due to its grand posture. The object originated from Peru and had rather a rough time getting back to the DePaul lab. Although nicely preserved, there is some noticeable wear and tear. Due to its beautiful carving and majestic presence, the artifact must have had a decorative or religious use. The details on the man’s body as well as the instrument he is playing took some time to make and could have been used in religious ceremonies. The figure was possibly a god or deity but he was definitely a significant individual in the society.
The figurine was made from one piece of wood. It weights 947.8 grams and it is solid on the inside. It is safe to assume that the object was hand carved by a specialist because it has extensive details and decorations. The detail looks to be made by only one craftsman as it is very symmetrical. For example, the instrument has four holes in it similar to ones found in wind instruments. It also has seven diagonal stripes on both sides of the holes. The artifact stands on its own and looks like it could be stackable because of an indent at the top. Since the top is indented and the bottom it flat, it was probably a bottom part of a taller figure.
From top to bottom, the figurine is 24.8 centimeters tall. It is a circular piece of wood with a diameter of 8 centimeters. The indent at the top is smaller and has a diameter of 4 centimeters. The object has multiple colors ranging from pale brown to black. The original color of the wood was very pale brown, 10 YR 7/3. The figurine was painted black but it is worn out in places where you can see the wood color. The front of the figurine was darker and looked like it was painted more than once. Its color was 10 YR 2/1 whereas the back was 10 YR 3/3. It was the back of the object that also had the most damage. There are multiple cuts and indents along the back and the color is lighter. There is also a large cut that goes through the right eye of the idol. Although some wear is inevitable, the artifact looks to be well preserved.
Some of the possible uses for this object were spiritual or religious. The artifact was probably found in a temple or a home but it was not used daily. There is no residue or signs of daily use. The man’s eyes are dilated from hallucinogens and he has a big smile. There is a big bird on either his head or his hat. He is also sitting down on either a chair or a throne on a higher pedestal. Although ornamental, the object could have