Description:

Pre-Columbian, Ecuador, Earliest Horizon, Valdivian, ca. 2300 to 2000 BCE. A very fine limestone avian carving, depicting a waterbird, both its beaked visage as well as winged body. Boldly carved with dramatic angular, curved, and straight lines from limestone of attractive cream hues. The aesthetic is is remarkably in line with the embrace of geometry among some of our most esteemed modern artists. Just look at the delineation of those wings! Custom stand. Size: 3.125" W x 7.375" H (7.9 cm x 18.7 cm); 8.25" H (21 cm) on stand

Ancient stone steles from Ecuador like this example are the oldest stone sculptures known to exist in the Americas, dating as far back as 3500 BCE. Certainly each stele is unique; however, they do share a few common characteristics. They are usually carved from a pearly grey colored stone and are for the most part "blockish" in form. The four most prominent themes include the owl, the serpent/arrow, the sun chart, and the star chart.

Waterbird iconography was associated with underworld deities of the Pre-Columbian world. The underworld was simultaneously linked to the aquatic environs as well as the starry sky, as the watery underworld was reflected in the night sky. Waterbirds as animals of both sky and water connected the two realms.



Provenance: Ex-Private AZ collection

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#118806

  • Condition: Losses at top of head and a few small chips to peripheries as shown. Surface shows nice burnishing marks.

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March 2, 2017 7:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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