Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE; West Mexico, Jalisco, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE; Costa Rica, ca. 600 to 1000 CE. A fine collection of 5 terracotta ocarinas, each with a stylized zoomorphic body, and openings for emitting sound. The largest is Colima culture; a four-legged creature, perhaps a turtle, with a short neck and pointed head and four note holes on the back, and suspension holes pierced into the back feet. The next two are birds, with petite feet supporting the front of the ocarina, and protruding head and wings. One is Colima, with applied discoid eyes and lengthy beak. The crested bird is Costa Rican made and might depict a jungle species. The Jalisco rounded, burnished black ware ocarina might represent a highly abstract animal. The last and most unique, is a Jalisco made piece, of a crouching frog with a small stump of the tadpole tail protruding from his rear end. Four of ocarinas still emit notes! Size of largest: 4.5" L x 2" W (11.4 cm x 5.1 cm); smallest: 1.5" L x 1.25" W (3.8 cm x 3.2 cm)
Provenance: private Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA collection; ex-Dr. David Harner collection, Springdale, Arkansas, USA, acquired between the 1950s and 1960s
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#163583
Condition
Loss to beak and chips around mouthpiece of Costa Rica bird ocarina. Largest ocarina is intact with nice burnishing marks. Frog ocarina is intact with traces of pigments. Black ocarina has a stable fissure and surface abrasions. Long beak bird ocarina is intact with nice burnishing marks. Four emit lovely pitches!