Lot 150
**Originally Listed At $200**
Pre-Columbian, Colombia and Ecuador, Calima, Tumaco-La Tolita, and Capuli-Narino, ca. 300 BCE to 1500 CE. A rare assemblage of eight miniature vessels from the northern Andes, representing the diverse traditions of lime containers used in coca-chewing rituals. The set comprises five shallow stone cups and three modeled pottery examples, each reflecting regional styles across Colombia and Ecuador. The five stone vessels, carved from white to tan limestone and volcanic stone, are disk-like cups with shallow interiors, small enough to fit in the palm. Such containers, known as caleros, held powdered lime (cal) that was mixed with coca leaves to enhance their stimulating properties. Their simple, portable forms align with comparanda from the Pre-Columbian Tumaco-La Tolita and Narino-Carchi cultural spheres of coastal Ecuador and southern Colombia, dating between ca. 300 BCE and 1200 CE. Size of largest (avian cylinder): 2.8" Diameter x 2.3" H (7.1 cm x 5.8 cm)
The three pottery examples display striking anthropomorphic and abstract qualities. One cylindrical vessel with a projecting nose and small lateral lugs pierced for suspension is characteristic of the Pre-Columbian Calima-Yotoco culture of Colombia's Valle del Cauca (ca. 200 BCE to 600 CE). Another takes the form of a small effigy with raised arms and a spiked headdress, stylistically linked to the Pre-Columbian Capuli-Narino tradition of the highlands of southern Colombia and northern Ecuador (ca. 800 to 1500 CE). The third, a blocky, hand-modeled vessel with two interior chambers and multiple perforations, finds strong parallels in the Pre-Columbian Tumaco-La Tolita culture of coastal Ecuador (ca. 300 BCE to 400 CE).
Together, these vessels illuminate the role of lime containers in Andean ritual practice. Their pierced lugs and tie-holes suggest they were once suspended from cords and sealed with lids, carried as personal ritual items. This grouping encapsulates a millennium of coca-related ceremonial tradition across several of the northern Andes' most distinctive cultures.
Provenance: private Fort Collins, Colorado, USA collection, acquired via inheritance
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#195587
- Condition: Figural pottery has been repaired with break lines visible. Small loss to base of avian cylinder. Nicks, chips, and abrasions throughout. Scattered earthen and lime deposits.
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|---|---|---|
| $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 |