Lot 119L
Pre-Columbian, West Mexican, Nayarit, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. The exterior walls of this pottery bowl are beautifully decorated with a painted polychrome composition that is divided into quadrants, a hallmark of Nayarit design. One pair of opposing sections are adorned with red striations and white dotted patterns, the alternating quadrants with stylized intertwining double-headed serpents. Size: 6.375" in diameter x 2.625" H (16.2 cm x 6.7 cm)
The bicephalic serpent was a signifier of high rank in various Pre-Columbian world views. These two-headed beasts were regarded as sky bands that arched over the earth or surrounded the seas serving as a passageway for the planets and stars of the celestial realm. This motif decorated wares associated with individuals of high rank, thus associating them with the powers of this mighty creature. Beyond this, even the singular serpent is a fascinating element of Pre-Columbian iconography as it was regarded to be a beneficial source of nourishment and at the same time quite deadly with its poisonous venom. Also important to the indigenous was the fact that snakes shed their skin annually thus rejuvenating themselves and serving as symbols of renewal and good health.
Provenance: Ex-Harvey Collection, acquired prior to 1972
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#119768
- Condition: Expected surface wear with minor paint losses and scratches commensurate with age. Nice manganese blooms on areas of interior and exterior walls. Some pitting on base and interior. Smoke cloud on tondo.
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