La cerámica de la cultura tumaco-La Tolita, del periodo clásico (500 a C–500 d C): Un análisis comparativo visual y simbólico desde el arte contemporáneo colombiano.

Abstract

This study analyzes the formal, technical, and iconographic characteristics of the ceramics of the Tumaco–La Tolita culture (500 BC–AD 500) through a comparative examination with contemporary Colombian ceramic art. The research addresses the limited scholarly literature that approaches this cultural heritage from the perspective of the visual arts, as most previous studies have focused on archaeological, anthropological, and historical perspectives, leaving a significant gap in the understanding of its aesthetic, symbolic, and conceptual dimensions. A qualitative, descriptive-comparative research design was employed, based on documentary review, iconographic analysis, and the systematic observation of thirty archaeological ceramic pieces from the collection of the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History (ICANH), Tumaco branch. The analysis was complemented by the study of eighteen artworks created by nine contemporary Colombian ceramic artists. The analytical framework considered variables related to morphology, manufacturing techniques, surface treatment, iconography, spatial organization, functionality, and symbolism. The findings demonstrate that Tumaco–La Tolita ceramics constitute a sophisticated visual system integrating advanced technological knowledge, ritual practices, anthropomorphic, zoomorphic, and hybrid representations, as well as a profound relationship between nature, spirituality, and sociocultural organization. Furthermore, the study identifies processes of continuity and reinterpretation of this ancestral legacy in contemporary Colombian ceramic production, where artists reinterpret pre-Hispanic formal and symbolic elements through contemporary artistic languages. The study concludes that Tumaco–La Tolita ceramics transcend their archaeological value to become a living reference of Colombia's artistic heritage, contributing to contemporary artistic practice, the strengthening of cultural identity, and the preservation of historical memory from an interdisciplinary perspective.