Pre-Columbian, Caribbean/Florida, Arawak People, Taino, ca. 15th century CE. An impressive, hand-carved stone figure known as a zemi, presenting an abstract, ovoid form. Depicted as though lying on his back, the stylized figure displays a wide mid-section and attenuated limbs with arms bent at the elbows to rest both hands on his chest and legs folded at the knees as feet are placed toe-to-toe in a position reminiscent of a crouching frog. The minimalist visage faces skyward, showcasing annular eyes, a straight nose, an unarticulated mouth, and a pointed chin, all capped by a hood-like coiffure or headdress. Size: 6.8" L x 2.8" W (17.3 cm x 7.1 cm)
According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, "Zemi (or cemi) is a term used by Taino peoples, the diverse societies that inhabited the Antilles archipelago before European contact, that linguistically relates to a quality akin to sweetness. Zemi refers not to an object or image but to an immaterial, spiritual, and vital force pertaining to deities and ancestors. There are several known zemi identities recorded by the Spanish, some of which have been linked to archaeological images."
Provenance: private J. S. collection, Sedona, Arizona, USA, acquired in the early 1980s; ex-private Haiti collection
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#165909
Condition
Expected nicks, abrasions, and light softening of detail as shown. Otherwise, intact and excellent.