Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A trio of highly realistic, nearly identical ceramic shells, each with openings to allow them to be used as trumpets. Each is in the form of a conch, with an elongated canal and four concentric spires leading to another round opening. Remains of dark red and white pigment are on the surfaces of each. Shell trumpets were used by the Colima to mark special ceremonies and community events, and also seem to have been signs of wealth and happiness. Size of one (they are all similar in size): 6.2" W x 2.6" H (15.7 cm x 6.6 cm)
Colima, located on Mexico's southwestern coast, was during this time part of the shaft tomb culture, along with neighbors to the north in Jalisco and Nayarit. In this culture, the dead were buried down shafts - 3 to 20 meters deep - that were dug vertically or near vertically through the volcanic tuff that makes up the geology of the region. The base of the shaft would open into one or more horizontal chambers with a low ceiling. These shafts were almost always dug beneath a dwelling, probably a family home, and seem to have been used as family mausoleums, housing the remains of many related individuals. Conch shells are often found in shaft tomb burials in the area of the deceased's pelvis.
Provenance: ex-private Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA collection
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#142920
Condition
All are intact, with nice remaining pigment and deposits on all surfaces.