Pre-Columbian, North Coast Peru, Paramonga region, Chimu, ca. 1200 to 1400 CE. This is a beautiful hand-carved wooden handle or finial for a royal staff or scepter surmounted with a fine chieftain or lord! The figure is an intricate rendering in low relief and openwork; he stands upon the staff handle with delineated legs and holds a spherical vessel in both hands. His oversized head is stylized with an intense expression formed by wide eyes, a broad nose, and bared teeth. Upon his head is an elaborate headdress featuring a crouching bird within an arched frame. The detailed geometric motifs, wings on the bird, the fingers on the lord, and the individual lines on his coiffure are painstakingly precise and remarkably well-preserved! At the tip of the rod that forms the finial handle is a slit that pierces the rod, perhaps to secure additional ornaments to the staff, and a lustrous coffee-hued patina has developed across the entire surface of this handsome carving. Size: 12.25" L x 2.25" W (31.1 cm x 5.7 cm)
Provenance: private Eagle, Colorado, USA collection, acquired in the 1990s
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#168252
Condition
Minor chips and surface wear to high pointed areas. Scattered mineral deposits. Gorgeous patina. Intact and very good with great details!