Description:

Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. An adorable and quite large seated Colima dog vessel with a flared spout emerging from its forehead. This most famous class of Colima artifact continues to captivate us. This particular youthful pup has incised ovoid eyes, a long pointy nose with a luster that makes it appear almost dewy, perky ears that seem to be flapping in the breeze, a curled tail, and a wide toothy grin.

Scholars know of at least two types of Colima dogs, one to be fattened up and ritually sacrificed or eaten and one to serve as a watchdog and healer of the ill. This plump hairless canine known as a Chichi or Escuintla is thought to be related to the Chihuahua or Mexican Hairless also known as the Xoloitzcuintle. The Xolo dog was named for the deity Xolotl, the God of the Underworld, and believed to guide the deceased as they journeyed to the afterlife. Colima vessels such as this one were buried in shaft tombs to protect the deceased and provide sustenance for eternity.

Provenance: private Owen collection, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA, acquired from Harme Rooke Gallery, 1990s

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#189795

  • Condition: Intact and near choice with areas of manganese deposits.

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November 1, 2024 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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