Description:

Pre-Columbian, Panama, Cocle, ca. 1000 CE. A rare and important example, this Cocle pedestal dish depicts an anthropomorphic figure with jaguar features. Notice its large claws on hands and feet as well as the feline features on its visage. Beyond this, the figure's sash is actually an enormous centipede with many feet and a mask-like face. The composition is painted in vibrant hues of red, purple, brown, and cream. According to scholar Samuel Kirkland Lothrop, "The Gran Cocle culture is a Pre-Columbian archaeological culture that gets its name from the area from which it was based, the now present-day Cocle province of Panama. The Gran Cocle term applies to a loosely studied group of Native American sub-cultures in this region, identified by their pottery styles. The overall period spans a time from 150 B.C. to the end in the 16th century A.D. upon Spanish contact. The most ancient culture is the La Mula period from 150 B.C. to 300 A.D. The La Mula and later Monagrillo and Tonosí pottery styles are identified by their the use of three paint colors which were black, red and white (or cream). The later Cubitá style saw the emergence of the use of four colors. The styles of Conte, Macaracas and Joaquín added purple to their palette and this hue ranged from grayish tones to red purple. The use of purple disappeared in the subsequent styles of Parita and El Altillo and the paint style reverted back to the use of three colors. Most notable in the artistic renderings are the overt use of geometric designs." Such an intricate composition comprised of a transforming shaman to jaguar figure as well a sinuous centipede is extremely rare to find! 11" (~28 cm) in diameter x 2 1/2" (~6.25 cm) high Provenance: Ex-Baker private collection, AZ; Ex-Arizona Art Museum, published in Arizona Museum catalogue. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. #101442

  • Condition: Minor surface wear. Overall excellent condition.

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March 19, 2015 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$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