Lot 92
Pre-Columbian, Caribbean / Florida, Taino people, ca. 15th to early 17th century CE. An astounding carved wood spoon - a key part of the hallucinogenic cohoba ritual - exhibiting a lengthy, ovoid bowl and a handle in the form of a squatting figure known as a zemi (or cemi). The cadaverous figure displays a large, skeletal head with huge, sunken eyes, a towering skull, and delineated teeth. The Taino people of the Caribbean islands based their spiritual beliefs around the worship of zemis, their gods or sacred entities. Shamans, known as behiques, acted as mediators between the human world and the realm of the supernatural. They connected with these deities by using cohoba powder, a hallucinogenic substance often combined with tobacco to enhance its potency. The powder was inhaled nasally through a tube, using intricately carved spoons, like this one, to measure and serve it. Ritual objects like this were exquisitely carved with images of zemis as they were believed to help the shaman achieve ecstatic states. Size: 10.3" L x 1.9" W (26.2 cm x 4.8 cm)
Authentic Taino wood items, like this example, are sheer miracles of survival. Due to their deep spiritual importance, they were usually wrapped in fabric and placed in a specially-chosen, dry cave for safekeeping, which in effect preserved them through the centuries.
The Taino peoples of the Greater Antilles created some of the most intriguing visual culture of the Caribbean during the Pre-Columbian era, most dramatic of the iconography is the zemi, a term referring to deities, ancestors, or earth spirits. These zemis are believed to be inhabited by powerful spirits. Zemis are understood as objects of concentrated power with the ability to impact their owners both positively and negatively, thought to affect fertility and productivity as well as social and political activities. Owners of zemi figures have traditionally honored them with offerings of food or precious gifts. Each Zemi had its own identity and name, personality, distinct characteristics, and powers.
Accompanied by a statement of authenticity from Dr. John Scott, Professor Emeritus of Art History, University of Florida.
Provenance: private Venice, Florida, USA collection; ex-Alfred Carrada collection, Miami, Florida, USA; papered by Dr. John F. Scott, 2019 Professor Emeritus of Art History, University of Florida
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#190656
- Condition: Expected age wear to wood with stable fissures, pitting, and abrasions as shown. Otherwise, intact and in good condition with some areas of nice, smooth, lustrous patina.
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