Pre-Columbian Americas
Huari/Tiwanaku culture, Peru
Lime Container
ca. A.D. 800
Wood, stone, shell, bone, reed
H. 3 3/8 in. (8.6 cm)
Raymond and Laura Wielgus Collection

In Pre-Columbian Peru, coca leaves were sucked with small amounts of lime, creating a mild state of euphoria, decreased appetite, and increased physical endurance. Most lime containers were plain gourds or other simple containers. The delicate complexity of this one suggests that it was made for a member of its society's elite.