Bottle

The body of this frog-shaped vessel is sculpted in a crouched position, with a handle and spout on its back. It is decorated with black, yellow, brown, and red paint, and its surface features horizontal black lines to represent the frog’s bumpy skin. The dots on its back and chin may represent the markings on a Marañon poison frog, whose name comes from the toxic chemicals it secretes and then uses as a weapon against predators. The powerful substance secreted by poison dart frogs has also been used as medicine. Poison frogs usually live in the rainforest, near rivers and lakes. Today the Marañon poison frog is considered an endangered species due to the destruction of its natural habitat.

Ancient Andean people believed that frogs were linked to water because the croaking sound they make imitates the sound of raindrops falling. Frogs were also believed to bring rain, an essential element of survival for agricultural societies.