Lot 14
Native American, Southeastern United States, Mississippian culture, ca. 900 to 1500 CE. Found in Poinsett County, Arkansas. A finely formed Mississippian pottery bowl distinguished by four sculptural effigy projections around the rim - two depicting frogs and two representing stylized human faces. The vessel features a broad hemispherical body with gently curving walls and a rounded base, its surface marked by subtle fire clouds created during open firing. The effigies are spaced evenly along the rim, creating a rhythmic sequence of alternating animal and human imagery. The frog heads are modeled with rounded forms and prominent eyes, while the human faces appear as simplified yet expressive protrusions. Such effigy decoration reflects the symbolic language of Mississippian art, in which animals and humans often appear together to convey cosmological ideas. Size: 13.3" L x 11" W x 6.5" H (33.8 cm x 27.9 cm x 16.5 cm)
Frogs held particular significance in Southeastern Native American belief systems. As creatures associated with water, seasonal rains, and fertility, they were closely tied to the watery Underworld of Mississippian cosmology. The pairing of frog and human imagery may reference transformation, spiritual mediation, or ancestral presence within ceremonial contexts. Discovered in Poinsett County, Arkansas - a region rich in Mississippian archaeological sites - the bowl reflects the sculptural creativity and symbolic depth that characterize pottery traditions of the Mississippi River Valley.
Provenance: private Denver, Colorado, USA collection; ex-Daniel Wolf, New York, USA collection, acquired October 2016; ex-Selkirk Auctioneers & Appraisers, St. Louis, Missouri, USA; found in Poinsett County, Arkansas, USA
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#201333
- Condition: Some areas of restabilization to bottom and edge, as well as stable hairline fissures in areas. Chipping to interior and area of side. Pitting, nicks, and abrasions as shown, all commensurate with age. Otherwise, intact and very nice with good remaining detail.
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