Description:

Pre-Columbian, Maya/Toltec, ca. 900 to 1200 CE. A magnificent "plumbate" pottery jar, a distinctive style of pottery from late Classic and early Postclassic Mesoamerica. Plumbate pottery is distinguishable by its uniquely shiny - sometimes even iridescent - glaze that has been fired at very high temperatures. Plumbate ware was probably made by a very small number of artisans around the Mexico/Guatemala border who then exported them throughout wider Mesoamerica. This striking example is of a trophy head, here depicted with bulging eyes, clenched teeth, and a protruding tongue. The figure wears a jaguar helmet, with the animal's speckled ears very clear. The head also wears a massive bar through his nose and has huge hanging earrings. The neck flares out to form the hollow foot of the vessel while a wide, round spout rises from the top of the head. Size: 4.6" W x 6.6" H (11.7 cm x 16.8 cm)

Provenance: private Pasadena, California, USA collection, acquired from local Los Angeles, USA estate formed between 1970 and 2000

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#153642

  • Condition: Small area of repair/restoration on the foot; otherwise in great condition. This restoration is almost impossible to discern. Great deposits, root marks, and firing marks on the surface.

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March 12, 2020 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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