Lot 203
**First Time At Auction**
Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Jalisco, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A wonderful example of a "sheep face" figure, with a long nose and pointed chin; the figure has female (breasts) and male (phallus) characteristics. Intersex individuals were certainly known in the past but this figure may also suggest a shamanic state of transformation. Earthy red pigment on hat and trousers give it color, while thin black line painting suggests tattooing. Size: 3.75" W x 4.5" H (9.5 cm x 11.4 cm)
In this culture, the dead were buried down shafts -- 3 to 20 meters deep -- that were dug vertically or near vertically through the volcanic tuff that makes up the geology of the region. The base of the shaft would open into one or more horizontal chambers with a low ceiling. These shafts were almost always dug beneath a dwelling, probably a family home, and seem to have been used as family mausoleums, housing the remains of many related individuals. Figures like these seem to have had a role in mediating between the living and the dead.
Provenance: Ex-Triffo Collection, acquired in the 1970s
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#119639
- Condition: Repaired at the neck but repairs are well done.
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| From: | To: | Increments: |
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| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,000 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $25,000 |