Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A large, deeply ribbed pottery vessel resembling a voluminous squash standing on three lovely parrot legs, each with wings folded and tail feathers at the back, with a boldly flaring spout - all painted in a rich, wine red slip that age has darkened further with extensive manganese deposits. Both squashes and parrots were symbols of fertility and abundance. Moreover, art imitates life in this ceramic vessel, as the indigenous of Mexico used hollowed gourds for storing and serving food and drink. Size: 15.25" W x 10" H (38.7 cm x 25.4 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. Beautiful vessels like this one were placed into shaft tombs as offerings.
Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-private J.H. collection, Poway, California, USA, acquired in the 2000s
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#153100
Condition
Expertly repaired and restored from several large pieces. This is incredibly well done and indiscernible unless you look inside the vessel. Great manganese deposits over the entire surface.