Pre-Columbian, Ecuador, Guayaquil or Plata Island region, ca. 500 to 1500 CE. An interesting ensemble of ten clay items which were perhaps used as pieces in an ancient game. Each of the rectangular game 'dice' has sets of either 3 or 4 incised circles on either side, with one piece having 5 circles on only one face and 4 circles on the rest. The main 'board' for the game is square in form and features a segmented row on all lateral faces and an X-shaped layout on the top with alternating triangles incised on each arm. These pieces appear to be a variant on the ancient game called "huayru", where each die bore an increasing number of circles on either 5 or 6 faces. Size: 4.625" W x 2.1" H (11.7 cm x 5.3 cm).
Exhibited in "Artifacts of Ecuador: Collection of Col. William R. Cameron (Ret.), Monterey Peninsula Museum of Art, January 8 to 29, 1977.
Provenance: private California, USA collection, acquired in 2004; ex-private Gill family collection, Pebble Beach, California, USA, acquired in 1980; ex-Colonel William R. Cameron (Ret.) collection, California, USA, acquired in 1965 to 1968; exhibited in "Artifacts of Ecuador: Collection of Col. William R. Cameron (Ret.), Monterey Peninsula Museum of Art, January 8 to 29, 1977
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#145163
Condition
Small chips to board and some die, with softening to some incised circles, otherwise intact and very good. Light earthen deposits throughout.