Lot 101
Pre-Columbian, Caribbean, Dominican Republic, Taino, ca. 10th to 16th century CE. A fascinating stone carving of a stylized, seated figure known as a zemi, the representation of a god, spirit, or ancestor. The visage is comprised of string cut linear grooves to create the mouth, nasolabial folds, and triangular nose; and the drilled eyes are circular and wide - giving an intense, gaunt expression. Owners of zemi figures have traditionally honored them with offerings of food or precious gifts. Each Zemi had its own identity and name, personality, distinct characteristics, and powers. Size: 4.75" L x 3" W (12.1 cm x 7.6 cm)
This piece was from a pre-1970 Taino collection, and many of the pieces in the collection were on public display at the Museum of Native American History in Bentonville Arkansas from November 2016 to March 2019. Most of the artifacts came from Wilfred Belmar; born in the Dominican Republic, he began finding and collecting artefacts as a child through the 1930s and 1940s. This collection has been vetted by Dr. William F. Keegan, chairman and curator of the Anthropology Department of Natural History at the Florida Museum of Natural History, Associate Director for Research and Collections, professor of Anthropology and Curator of Latin American Studies at the University of Florida, and author of "Talking Taino" published 2008 and "The Oxford Handbook of Caribbean Archaeology" published in 2013. In 2015 he studied this collection and was quite impressed with the quality of the pieces. The pieces were also studied by Dr. John F. Scott, Professor Emeritus, Professor of Art History at the University of Florida and publisher of the textbooks: "Latin American Art: Ancient and Modern," "The Art of the Taino of the Dominican Republic" in 1985, and the 1970 Metropolitan Museum of Art catalog "Before Cortes."
Taino art is comprised of many cult objects associated with the worship of "zemis." The term zemi refers to deities, ancestors, or earth spirits. Zemis like this example are believed to be inhabited by powerful spirits. Owners of zemi figures traditionally honored them with offerings of food or precious gifts. Each Zemi had its own identity and name, personality, and powers. These intriguing figures were also used for stands, reliquaries, and personal adornment, with many serving as implements in ceremonies involving a vegetal entheogen known as cohoba - a hallucinogenic powder or paste that was inhaled through snuff tubes.
Provenance: private J. Hart Collection, Houston, Texas, USA, acquired mid-1970's
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#174551
- Condition: Abrasions and chips to verso and high pointed areas of eyes, otherwise intact. Details are sharp and clear. Overall excellent condition.
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