Pre-Columbian, Caribbean, Arawak People, Taino, ca. 15th century CE. A remarkable, hand-carved stone figure known as a zemi, presenting in an abstract, ovoid form. Gazing forward from bulging eyes, the ancient figure features a minimalist visage with a bulbous nose and full lips held closed all enveloped by a hood-like coiffure or headdress. His attenuated arms bend at the elbows with hands together on the chest, as though in prayer, while his body curves inward at the sides to display a slender waist and an unarticulated lower body. Size: 2.5" W x 6.4" H (6.4 cm x 16.3 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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#165912
Condition
Some expected light scratches and abrasions, commensurate with age. Otherwise, intact and excellent with nice remaining details.