Description:

Pre-Columbian, Caribbean / Florida, Taino people, ca. 15th century CE. A small, charming stone amulet, in classic Taino style with enormous eyes and mouth (probably representing a hallucinogenic high), arms and legs flailed back, and projecting male anatomy. The stone is a black and grey flecked warm beige. Taino spirituality, which focused on the spirit of the ancestors and the god of the cassava, their primary crop, was mediated by a class of priests (bohiques), who often engaged in the taking of hallucinogenic drugs to aid in rituals and ceremonies. This figure probably represented one of these priests and may have been used to help invoke that state. This is a rare style of figure in perfect condition. Size: 1.95" W x 2.5" H (5 cm x 6.4 cm)

Provenance: Ex-Private LA County collection

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#117307

  • Condition: Excellent

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

Artemis Fine Arts

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