Description:

Pre-Columbian, Southern Mexico to Guatemala, Olmec, ca. 12th to 9th century BCE. A rare pottery vessel known as a tecomate, characterized by its globular shape and small opening. The highly burnished surface, in warm beige, is decorated with black resist patterns. The term "tecomate" comes from the Nahuatl word for calabash or gourd, which this vessel's shape resembles. Tecomates were commonly used for storing liquids or grains, and this form may have been inspired by the shape of natural gourds. They were often included as grave goods, placed in tombs as offerings to accompany the deceased in the afterlife, and its symbolic association with the calabash tied it to fertility and abundance in Mesoamerican cosmology. Size: 4.25" Diameter x 3" H (10.8 cm x 7.6 cm)

Provenance: private R.D. collection, Long Beach, California, USA collection, lighter vessel acquired in the 1990s; ex-Keith Finello collection

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.

We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#189604

  • Condition: Hairline pressure fissure across one side, that has been reinforced on the interior with adhesive. Several chips and nicks along this break line. Fading to painted motifs.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

November 1, 2024 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 27.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

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 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000