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THBExceptional Taino Stone Zemi Figure
Lot 62
About Seller
Artemis Gallery
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$4,000 - $6,000
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Bid Increments
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| $0 | $25 |
| $300 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 | $20,000 |
About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Jul 25, 2019
Set Reminder
2019-07-25 10:00:00
2019-07-25 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Pre-Columbian | Tribal | Ethnographic
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/pre-columbian-tribal-ethnographic-4291
Featuring ancient and ethnographic art from around the world, including Pre-Columbian, Native American, African / Tribal, Ethnographic, Spanish Colonial, Fossils, Fine Art, much more. Many Oceanic pieces from an important Tucson, Arizona collection, first time at auction!! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Featuring ancient and ethnographic art from around the world, including Pre-Columbian, Native American, African / Tribal, Ethnographic, Spanish Colonial, Fossils, Fine Art, much more. Many Oceanic pieces from an important Tucson, Arizona collection, first time at auction!! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (363)
- Lot Description
Pre-Columbian, Hispaniola, Greater Antilles Islands, Taino/Arawak Indians, ca. 1000 to 1500 CE. A stunning example of a three-pointed stone Zemi figure with a large ovoid body and a central conical point. The front of the vertical point depicts a characteristically-abstract, meticulously-pecked Zemi face with deep eye sockets, a bulbous nose, a wide mouth, arching ears, and a lightly drooping top point. The verso displays dense curvilinear motifs that surround two concentric circles on the top and bottom peripheries. A beautiful example from the ancient Taino! Size: 3.375" W x 7.6" H (8.6 cm x 19.3 cm).
Taino art is comprised of many cult objects associated with the worship of zemis. The term "zemi" refers to deities, ancestors, or earth spirits. The Zemi (or Cemi) stone, with its characteristic three cardinal points, is a fundamental symbol in the Taino religion. Tainos traditionally name the three points "Yocahu Bagua Maorocoti" -- another word for the Creator, Yaya. Zemis like this example are believed to be inhabited by powerful spirits. The uppermost point represents the top of this sacred mountain peak, in the "turey" (sky) of the four directions, where Yaya - the Creator, whose name means "that which has neither beginning nor end and which has no male ancestor or creator" - resides. The 'chin' point represents "Coabey," the underworld or place of the dead. Here "Hupia," the spirit of the dead, resides, and the face of Guayaba, the Chief of Coabey, is represented. Finally, the opposite point represents the land of the living where "Goiz," the spirit of living people, resides. A similar three-pointer example is shown in fig. 29a, p. 117 in "The Tainos: Rise and Decline of the People Who Greeted Columbus", (Irving Rouse, 1992).
Provenance: private Los Angeles County, California, USA collection, acquired in the Dominican Republic over 20 years ago
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
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#127590Minor abrasions and nicks to base, body, face, and verso, with light softening to some finer details, and light encrustations, otherwise intact and excellent. Nice earthen deposits throughout.Condition
- Shipping Info
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