Description:

Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A charming, hand-sculpted terracotta figure of a dog. With a hugely fat body and a sleek head with big eyes, the dog has almost comical proportions. It also has an upstanding tail that doubles as a spout. The body is a burnished red and tan. Size: 10.35" L x 5" W x 5.6" H (26.3 cm x 12.7 cm x 14.2 cm)

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 Salter collection, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

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#125654

  • Condition: Tip of left ear restored. Nice manganese deposits on surface.

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July 20, 2017 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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