Jalisco Seated Shaman Holding a Bowl - PF.3510,Origin: Western Mexico,Circa: 300 BC to 300 AD,Dimensions: 5.5" (14.0cm) high x 4.25" (10.8cm) wide,Collection: Pre-Columbian,Style: Jalisco,Medium: Terracotta. Somber and dignified, this white-slipped figure is a magnificent sculpture of the Meso- American culture. The nose is long and thin, the mouth has a wide smile, as if it knows something that we do not. The voluptuous form of the well proportioned body is emphasized by the powerful shape of the back. He is caught in an action that looks as if he is about to drink from the bowl. This figure is most probably a shaman, who had special healing and supernatural powers in Meso-America. The round bowl in his lap suggests two different interpretations of this shaman's actions. Firstly, he may be the bearer of offerings to any number of ancient deities that were worshipped. He may also have been drinking from this bowl, and attempting to enter a drug-induced trance. On his headband are two objects that resemble the hallucinogenic Peyote. Either of these interpretations suggest this shaman's desire to get closer to a higher world. Perceived as having the power to appease the deities, this figure becomes the center of attention through his captivating beauty.

Antiquities
Ancient Central America & Mexico