Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Nayarit, Ixtlan del Rio type, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A fabulous pair of pottery figures, a male musician and a female - perhaps a shaman or priestess - both bare-chested and gazing forward with crazed eyes and gritted teeth, suggesting they are under the influence of a sacred hallucinogen. The musician plays an intriguing idiophone comprised of a shell rubbed along a grated board resembling a lizard, while the female grasps a cup and ceremonial axe. Both are dressed elaborately with huge nose piercings, twisted diadems, and layered earrings, indicating they belong to an elevated social class. Hypnotic designs of tattoos or body paint envelop their bodies, evoking thoughts of the mesmerizing melodies the musician is playing and accentuating the psychedelic nature of each piece, as if they have brought the viewer visually along on their spiritual journey. Size of larger (male): 8.9" W x 12" H (22.6 cm x 30.5 cm)
West Mexican shaft tomb figures like this one derive their names from the central architectural feature that we know of from this culture. These people would build generally rectangular vertical shafts down from the ground level down to narrow horizontal tunnels that led to one or more vaulted or rounded burial chambers. The geomorphology in the area means that these chambers are dug out of tepetate, a type of volcanic tuff material, which give the chambers a rough-edged look. Although the dimensions of the chambers vary considerably - some only large enough to hold a single burial and its offerings, others seem designed to hold entire lineages - the placement of burial goods like these hollow figures was very similar. Grouped with other hollow figures, and alongside clay bowls, and boxes, they were positioned around the body (or bodies), near the skull. Unfortunately, we lack the information we would need to understand what these figures were made for - do they represent everyday people, even individuals? Are they religious? Were they created to mediate between the living and the dead? Whatever their purpose, today they are beautiful artwork and reminders of the mysterious past.
Provenance: ex-Marc Amiguet Schmitt estate, Amiguet's Ancient Art, Evansville, Indiana, USA, acquired prior to January 1, 2010
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.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#174947
Condition
Female has losses to toes and chip to left ear, and male has losses to tops of ears. Both have expected surface wear as shown but are otherwise in excellent condition and mostly intact with nice remaining pigments and great manganese deposits.