Colima Sculpture of a Standing Shaman Warrior - PF.1921, Origin: Western Mexico, Circa: 300 BC to 300 AD, Dimensions: 16" (40.6cm) high, Catalogue: V8, Collection: Pre-Columbian, Style: Colima, Medium: Terracotta. In ancient Mexico, the shaman acted as healer, religious leader, and spiritual guide. Part doctor, part priest, the shaman helped put the mysterious universe into perspective. The horn that adorns his headdress is a symbol of power, divinely granted. This magnificent shaman image was placed in a tomb to protect the deceased from the unknown dangers of the afterlife. He holds a club, which seems both a symbol of office and a weapon, while on his back he carries a basket to hold the hallucinogens that will aid the transition into the realm of the spirits. When he was left in that tomb so long ago, could anyone have imagined the fantastic world in which he now finds himself?

Antiquities
Ancient Central America & Mexico