Description:

Pre-Columbian, Central & Gulf Coast Mexico, Veracruz region, Aztec culture, Post Classic period, ca. 1200 to 1521 CE. A charming basalt stone tenon with a head finial of a canine head - likely a coyote, with perked ears and comically rounded, large eyes. The elongated snout has a raised nose and slightly parted lips, as if the animal is smiling. The long, cylindrical neck may have been a tenon joint for fitting into a larger sculpture or architectural element. The coyote is a trickster figure in Mesoamerican mythology, god of music and dance, called Huehuecoyotl in Nahuatl. The disembodied head form may have been to remind the viewer of the popular headdresses that we know the Huastec wore ritually - carved statues show female and male warriors wearing avian, serpent, jaguar, and coyote headdresses. Size: 5.75" L x 2" W (14.6 cm x 5.1 cm); 5.25" H (13.3 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-New York, USA collection

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#173976

  • Condition: Chips and age expected surface wear, otherwise intact and very good! Light mineral deposits in recessed areas.

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January 8, 2023 10:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$300 $999 $50
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$5,000 $9,999 $500
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$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
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