Pre-Columbian, Ecuador, Jamacoaque, (Jama Coaque) culture, ca. 500 CE. This is a highly unusual effigy vessel hand-built in the form of a stylized zoomorphic head with bared teeth. The overall form is ferocious and bizarre, although feline-esque, there are highly abstract and unnatural qualities that indicate this is a supernatural being or shamanic individual undergoing the spiritual process of transforming into a jaguar! The figure's head comprises the body of the vessel and rests upon a planar base, with an upturned snout, forked tongue, bared teeth, an arching nose, huge eyes with applied lids, rectangular ears, and projecting eyebrows. A simple headband wraps around the forehead with a bowtie-shaped ornament resting in the middle, and the vessel opening leads into the deep interior cavity and hollow snout. This is a spectacular and fascinating example of enigmatic Jamacoaque pottery! Size: 7.5" W x 7" H (19 cm x 17.8 cm)
Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection, acquired in 2004; ex-Robert Dowling collection, San Francisco, California, USA
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.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance),
we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
#168285
Condition
Stable fissure on rim. Losses to applied piece on nose and headband. Minor surface abrasions. Light earthen and mineral deposits. A striking example!