Lot 228
Pre-Columbian, Northwest Mexico, Chihuahua, Casas Grandes, Ramos, ca. 1250 to 1450 CE. An evocative, janiform pottery jar showcasing 2 relief faces in black, beige, and gray pigments atop an orange slip ground. Sitting upon a round yet stable base, the dish displays a bulbous body, a curved shoulder, and a folded rim. The stylized visages feature ovoid eyes, pinched noses, and slightly open mouths, all crowns by a spikey coiffure and separated by spiraling, steppe motifs. Similar designs adorn the areas below the chin of each face and 4 drill holes perforate the area near the rim, allowing the vessel to be suspended. Size: 7.1" Diameter x 5.8" H (18 cm x 14.7 cm)
The Janus-faced vessel derives from the concept of a dual or literally 'two-faced' personality. The word Janus comes to us from the Roman god, Janus, the god of doorways and gateways who came to represent both the future and the past; he was also the god of January.
The Casas Grandes (or Chihuahua) culture has always been the best known of the prehistoric cultures of northwest Mexico. International awareness of the culture first derived from its polychrome pottery and from the massive ruins of the culture's principal center, Casas Grandes - now better known as Paquime. Located in the present Mexican state of Chihuahua, Casas Grandes was an intelligently planned urban center that grew wealthy thanks to commodities such as copper, shells, turquoise, and tropical bird feathers.
Provenance: private S.S. collection, Los Angeles, California, USA
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#172829
- Condition: Professionally repaired with some areas of restoration and repainting. Two stable hairline fissures near rim. Light surface wear as shown with expected nicks and abrasions. Otherwise, very nice with impressive remaining pigments.
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