Veracruz Terracotta Sculpture Mold - PF.6105 (DB.045), Origin: Mexico, Circa: 200 AD to 600 AD, Dimensions: 9" (22.9cm) high x 5.25" (13.3cm) wide, Collection: Pre-Columbian,  More »

Veracruz Terracotta Sculpture Mold - PF.6105 (DB.045), Origin: Mexico, Circa: 200 AD to 600 AD, Dimensions: 9" (22.9cm) high x 5.25" (13.3cm) wide, Collection: Pre-Columbian, Style: Veracruz, Medium: Terracotta.   « Less

Mayan Painted Cylindrical Vessel - PF.6192, Origin: El Salvador, Circa: 300 AD to 900 AD, Dimensions: 7.75" (19.7cm) high, Collection: Pre-Columbian, Style: Mayan, Medium:  More »

Mayan Painted Cylindrical Vessel - PF.6192, Origin: El Salvador, Circa: 300 AD to 900 AD, Dimensions: 7.75" (19.7cm) high, Collection: Pre-Columbian, Style: Mayan, Medium: Terracotta.   « Less

Mayan Mace Head - PF.5747, Origin: El Salvador, Circa: 300 AD to 900 AD, Dimensions: 5" (12.7cm) high, Collection: Pre-Columbian, Style: Mayan, Medium: Basalt. Holding this  More »

Mayan Mace Head - PF.5747, Origin: El Salvador, Circa: 300 AD to 900 AD, Dimensions: 5" (12.7cm) high, Collection: Pre-Columbian, Style: Mayan, Medium: Basalt. Holding this piece in our hands, we begin to understand why the term “head-breaker” is used as a nickname for these objects. Clearly it would not be an enjoyable experience to receive a blow from this heavy, carved hunk of volcanic stone. Originally attached to a wooden shaft, this device would have been a most deadly weapon. Today, we are moved by this piece not out of fear for the damage it is capable of causing, but out of awe for its stunning beauty and expert craftsmanship. As connoisseurs might relish the beauty of an antique gun, one can easily appreciate the quality and artistry this mace head represents. The cylindrical shape of the head has been divided horizontally into two registers, and vertically into four zones for a total of eight individual carvings. The upper register depicts a series of crowned faces, probably representations of gods, kings, or great warriors. The lower register contains a seated shaman figure and some more faces. The intricate, detailed carvings are simply stunning. This weapon may have been made for warring, but it is a work of art, and a masterpiece at that.   « Less

Ameca-Ezatlán Style Jalisco Terracotta Seated Warrior Holding a Spear and Shield - PF.5536, Origin: Western Mexico, Circa: 300 BC to 300 AD, Dimensions: 12.5" (31.8cm)  More »

Ameca-Ezatlán Style Jalisco Terracotta Seated Warrior Holding a Spear and Shield - PF.5536, Origin: Western Mexico, Circa: 300 BC to 300 AD, Dimensions: 12.5" (31.8cm) high x 9" (22.9cm) wide, Collection: Pre-Columbian, Style: Ameca-Ezatlán, Medium: Terracotta. Although seated, this warrior remains fierce and ever vigilant with wide, open eyes. A suit of armor covers his torso, wrapping around his neck like a necklace. His shoulders are decorated with a pattern of bumps in the armor that protrudes in the back like a tail. The red paint on his legs signifies his flesh when compared to the armor. He brandishes a broad pointed spear and a wide rectangular shield painted with red triangles once outlined in black. Yet, the main feature of this sculpture is his large head, elongated in typical Jalisco style. He wears a crown woven around his head. His ears and nose are both adorned with jewelry. All this detail could very well symbolize his rank and order like pins and medals do today. Yet this warrior’s job was not to attack rival civilizations or to defend his home city; he served a greater purpose than the terrestrial battles that plague this world. This warrior was a defender of the afterlife, buried along the deceased to frighten away malevolent spirits. Thus, he will guard tomb for all eternity, protecting the dead from the unknown evil we all fear. Perhaps this warrior can protect us in life as well as in death.   « Less

Colima Stone Frog/Man Effigy - PF.5572, Origin: Western Mexico, Circa: 300 BC to 300 AD, Dimensions: 3.375" (8.6cm) high, Collection: Pre-Columbian, Style: Colima, Medium:  More »

Colima Stone Frog/Man Effigy - PF.5572, Origin: Western Mexico, Circa: 300 BC to 300 AD, Dimensions: 3.375" (8.6cm) high, Collection: Pre-Columbian, Style: Colima, Medium: Stone. The idea of hybrid creatures is prevalent in ancient mythologies from around the world. From satyrs and mermaids, to sphinxes and griffins. This concept was especially pervasive throughout Pre-Columbian religious beliefs. Supposedly, shamans, under the influence of hallucinogens, had the ability to shift shapes, becoming various animals and utilizing their powers. This remarkable sculpture depicts a creature that is part human, part amphibian. The frog itself was revered for its powers to change forms from tadpole to toad. Perhaps this work was worn as an amulet, with a thin necklace strung through the small perforations in the ears. Maybe a shaman used this object to facilitate shape shifting. Needless to say though, this unique carving once possessed a potent magic, an ancient force that it still exudes today.   « Less

Mayan Polychrome Plate Depicting an Alligator - PF.5749, Origin: El Salvador, Circa: 300 AD to 900 AD, Dimensions: 3.25" (8.3cm) high x 12.5" (31.8cm) wide, Collection:  More »

Mayan Polychrome Plate Depicting an Alligator - PF.5749, Origin: El Salvador, Circa: 300 AD to 900 AD, Dimensions: 3.25" (8.3cm) high x 12.5" (31.8cm) wide, Collection: Pre-Columbian, Style: Mayan, Medium: Terracotta.   « Less

Olmec Jade Celt Depicting a Were-Jaguar - PF.5812, Origin: Mexico, Circa: 900 BC to 300 BC, Dimensions: 4.875" (12.4cm) high, Collection: Pre-Columbian, Style: Olmec, Medium:  More »

Olmec Jade Celt Depicting a Were-Jaguar - PF.5812, Origin: Mexico, Circa: 900 BC to 300 BC, Dimensions: 4.875" (12.4cm) high, Collection: Pre-Columbian, Style: Olmec, Medium: Jade. The jaguar is one of the most potent symbols in Mesoamerican mythology. Often associated with the ruling power of the king, the jaguar was the most sacred beast in the animal pantheon. The veneration of this creature permeates the art of the Olmec. Considered to be the mother culture of Mesoamerican civilizations, the Olmec ruled a vast empire covering much of southern Mexico from around 1300-400 B.C. Today, they are famed for their colossal heads, giant sculptures that first alerted scholars to their existence in the latter half of the 19th Century. The figure depicted on this celt, a type of prehistoric tool shaped like an ax head, has taken the form of the “were-jaguar.” This is the name used to describe this type of figure (a mythical half man/half jaguar) exhibiting the puffy, fat cheeks and jowls of a human baby with the slanted eyes and curved mouth of the feline. We believe these works to represent a shaman in the midst of transformation. These great spiritual leaders were supposed to be able to transform and assume the powers of wild animals. The holes drilled into this celt reveal that is was a ceremonial object most likely hung on a string worn around the neck. Perhaps the celt would assist the shaman in his transformation. Overall, this celt attests to the artistic sophistication of the Olmec artists as well as to the cultures religious and spiritual beliefs.   « Less

Mayan Carved Marble Bowl with Jaguar Handles - PF.6235a, Origin: Honduras, Circa: 500 AD to 900 AD, Dimensions: 4.25" (10.8cm) high, Collection: Pre-Columbian, Style: Mayan,  More »

Mayan Carved Marble Bowl with Jaguar Handles - PF.6235a, Origin: Honduras, Circa: 500 AD to 900 AD, Dimensions: 4.25" (10.8cm) high, Collection: Pre-Columbian, Style: Mayan, Medium: Marble. Felines are among the most potent symbols of Pre-Columbian mythology. Jaguars have long been associated with the ruling elite, as is also true for lions, due to their fierce dominance of the jungle environment. Two jaguar effigies decorate the sides of this carved alabaster vessel, placed near the rim on opposite sides as if they were handles. Fierce and snarling, with clearly defined fangs and squatting postures as if ready to pounce on a passing prey, these beasts are clearly not to be reckoned with. They emit a strength and power revealed both by their curled lips as well as their intense stares. Their rounded eyes gaze outward at us as if to warn us to back away. Decorated by a series of swirling wave-like patterns rendered in low relief, this gorgeous vessel clearly must have played an important role in ceremonial functions relating to the Mayan religion. The skilled execution of the carving, the iconography of the compositions, and the form of the vessel all suggest that it once contained a ceremonial substance integral to the ritual festivities. The interior of the bowl has a reddish hue, suggesting that it may have served as a mortar to grind sacred substances such as cinnabar. Might it have once held a sacred hallucinogenic potion to be drunk by a shaman? Might it have once held the blood of a sacrificial victim to be consumed by the king, in order to gain its life-force? Clearly this vessel was treasured as much by the Mayans in its own time as it is by us now. Today, void of any ceremonial significance, this work is a stunning example of the masterful artistry of the Mayan and their complex religious beliefs.   « Less

Colima Reclinatorio - PF.4296, Origin: Western Mexico, Circa: 300 BC to 300 AD, Dimensions: 9.5" (24.1cm) high x 9.5" (24.1cm) wide, Collection: Pre-Columbian, Style: Colima,  More »

Colima Reclinatorio - PF.4296, Origin: Western Mexico, Circa: 300 BC to 300 AD, Dimensions: 9.5" (24.1cm) high x 9.5" (24.1cm) wide, Collection: Pre-Columbian, Style: Colima, Medium: Terracotta. The state of Colima, located in the pacific coast region of West Mexico, supported a thriving ancient culture, which between about 300 B.C. and 600 A.D. produced a remarkable variety of ceramic art. Although these people did not develop monumental, ceremonial architecture comparable to the high civilizations in Mexico, the ancient inhabitants of Colima did produce a spectacular array of art that is noted for its expert rendering, astounding diversity and imaginative portrayals. Nowhere is the stunning imagination of the Colima artist better represented than in this terracotta back rest. Originally intended for burial with the dead, serving as an accompaniment to the deceased on his or her long journey to the afterlife, this reclinatorio is rendered by the Colima artist as a fascinating combination of animals. If we let our imagination loose, we see that the front legs and shoulders of a dog support the upright portion of the back rest, while the large tail fin of a fish comprises the back tripod leg. Small fins protruding from the sides of the body further accentuate the aquatic attributes of this unique sculpture when viewed from behind. Two heads emerge from the shoulders, facing in opposite directions, which appear both auqatic and feline depending what angle they are viewed from. A truly charming and eclectic array of animal images, this reclinatorio delights our senses while at the same time challenges our inventive imagination.   « Less

Colima Vessel in the Form of an Armadillo - PF.5834, Origin: Western Mexico, Circa: 300 BC to 300 AD, Dimensions: 6.25" (15.9cm) high x 5" (12.7cm) wide x 12.5" (31.8cm)  More »

Colima Vessel in the Form of an Armadillo - PF.5834, Origin: Western Mexico, Circa: 300 BC to 300 AD, Dimensions: 6.25" (15.9cm) high x 5" (12.7cm) wide x 12.5" (31.8cm) depth, Collection: Pre-Columbian, Style: Colima, Medium: Terracotta. One of the most exciting and expressive Pre- Columbian art styles belongs to a group of people who lived in the pacific region of Ancient Mexico close to the 13,000 foot-high volcano "Colima." Here, artists modeled in clay a rich assortment of animal and plant figures, such as this striking vessel in the form of an armadillo. In Spanish, armadillo means, "little armored one." The armadillo truly is one of the most spectacular and unusual appearing creatures in the animal kingdom. Looking somewhat like a cross between an anteater and a turtle, the armadillo features a tough, thick bard outer shell that protects it from the harsh elements and potential predators. When threatened, the armadillo curls itself into a hall, becoming virtually indestructible. Subsisting on a diet of insects and invertebrates, the armadillo can often be spotted burrowing through the ground in search of grubs. Occasionally, they are known to eat berries and bird eggs. Due to their digging habits, they are sometimes known "gravediggers," due to the legendary belief that they were eating the bodily remains of the deceased. This vessel was discovered burried in a tomb alongside the deceased. May it once have held precious offerings to the gods inside its hollow belly? Perhaps it contained liquids that were meant for the consumption of the deceased in the afterlife? Clearly this elegantly modelled effigy vessel played a vital role in the world beyond. Today, we are charmed by its beauty and inspired by its history.   « Less