thumb|Tiwanaku held at the [[Cleveland Museum of Art]]
A (also spelled kero, quero, and locally also qero) is an ancient Andean cup used to drink liquids like alcohol, or more specifically, chicha. Metal or gold cups are also called aquilas. They were traditionally used in Andean feasts.
were decorated by first cutting a shallow pattern on the surface of the cup, then filling the pattern with a durable, waterproof mixture of plant resin and pigment such as cinnabar.
One is generally decorated with lavish, hand-painted, geometric designs that follow the traditional techniques in Písac ceramics. Others, however, may be painted with narrative scenes that show the life of the Inca. Those Qirus which show the life of the Inca were produced in colonial times and are not authentic Incan Qirus. Many times they are solitary, other times they are found together with other types of Peruvian pottery. production reached its peak between 1000 and 1200 CE but continued after European contact. are most commonly found in Moquegua, Peru. The Museo Contisuyo in Moquegua has on display.
thumbnail|left|Qiru cup, late 17th-18th century. Wood with pigment inlay, [[Brooklyn Museum]]
During Inca times, the vessels were typically made in identical pairs. This followed the custom that two individuals were required to drink together and both in the pair would have identical size, shape, and decoration. These pairs were typically used for toasts in ceremonies and were also given along with textiles as gifts as a sign of Inca generosity.
thumb|Kero, Peru, after 1550. [[Cleveland Museum of Art ]]
There is a strong religious connection with the kero as well. Chicha was known as an important ritual libation and offering in ancient Andean culture. Chicha was served in , where a special goblet version of the was very closely connected to the "Sacrifice Ceremony" depicted on Moche painted ceramics. Many depictions of the show a maize plant emerging from the vessel. These renderings allude to ' use as a pan-Andean offering receptacle for blood to be poured on the ground to guarantee a successful farming season. The used for this purpose are different in that they do not follow the same beaker form as traditional and are metal instead of clay or wood.
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