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THBHuari Wood Poporo Head w/ Gold & Inlays (Lapis & Shell)
Lot 37
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:
$15,000 - $20,000
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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
Oct 3, 2019
Set Reminder
2019-10-03 10:00:00
2019-10-03 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Exceptional Day 2: Pre-Columbian & Tribal Art
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-day-2-pre-columbian-tribal-art-4453
Day 2 of an important 2-day auction featuring exceptional, museum-worthy examples of Pre-Columbian from the ancient Americas, Native American, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Spanish Colonial and fossils. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Day 2 of an important 2-day auction featuring exceptional, museum-worthy examples of Pre-Columbian from the ancient Americas, Native American, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Spanish Colonial and fossils. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (300)
- Lot Description
Pre-Columbian, South Coast Peru, Huari / Wari, ca. 700 to 1000 CE. A striking poporo portrait head finely carved out of wood, its glistening gold sheet (80% gold, equivalent to 18K+) covered face presenting a dramatic visage comprised of almond-shaped eyes inlaid with purple spondylus irises and white shell scleras, orange spondylus shell cheeks, and a magnificent headdress with a lower band of rectangular orange alternating with purple spondylus shell pieces and an upper cylindrical section of vermilion orange spondylus and brilliant blue lapis lazuli sections. A gem of an object, a true and rare masterpiece! Size: 1.25" W x 2" H (3.2 cm x 5.1 cm); 9.25" H (23.5 cm) in custom case. Gold quality: 80% gold, equivalent to 18K+.
A poporo is a device used by indigenous cultures of Pre-Columbian South America for storage of small amounts of lime made from calcined seashells. It consists of two pieces: the receptacle, and the lid which includes a pin that is used to carry the lime to the mouth while chewing coca leaves. Since the chewing of coca has traditionally been considered sacred for the indigenous people, poporos have also been attributed with mystical powers and social status.
This piece is made of materials that carried significant meaning to the indigenous of Peru. Spondylus shells, for example, also known as spiny or thorny oysters for their pointy surfaces, have been revered by Andean peoples since the Pre-Columbian era. In addition to being featured in their artwork and used as currency, Spondylus pieces served as sacred offerings to Pachamama, the earth/time mother, a version of Mother Nature. Gold represented a sacred metal, ideal for embellishing an elite individual's possession and fostering his/her passage to the afterlife.
Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-Ben Johnson Collection, Los Angeles, California, USA, former curator of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
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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#123911Some indentations, nicks, and darkened areas on the gold sheet. A few fissures to inlays. Missing one ear/earspool. Remaining earspool possibly once had inlay.Condition
- Shipping Info
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