Description:

Pre-Columbian, Gulf Coast of Mexico, Veracruz culture, ca. 500 to 700 CE. A fascinating glimpse into the past, this is the preserved head from a larger figure marked by realistic features and dominated by an enormous headdress of overlaid items that resemble corn or other agricultural products. The eyes have been painted black to have large pupils; otherwise the figure has little decoration beyond two large round earrings. Size: 4.1" W x 5.25" H (10.4 cm x 13.3 cm); 7.85" H (19.9 cm) on included custom stand.

Excavations near the town of Remojadas have revealed two types of impressive, detailed pottery figures: the Sonrientes, the joyous "smiling faces" depicting people of all ages and sexes, and figures like this one, more serious, mostly adult figures, with elaborate costumes, themes, and sometimes props that all seem to point towards religious or political ceremonies. These figures are often found with the bodies smashed into pieces and the heads largely intact - they were ritually destroyed as burial offerings.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection

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#131326

  • Condition: Piece is a fragment as shown. Head and headdress are intact, with very nice remaining detail. Tiny chips and nicks commensurate with age.

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March 1, 2018 7:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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