Description:

Pre-Columbian, Mexico, Mixtec culture, ca. 1200 to 1500 CE. A hand-carved wooden pestle, for use with a mortar, to grind hallucinogenic drugs as part of shamanic rituals. Incised on the body is an abstract deity, dressed in feathers, with glyph-like symbols emerging from his mouth. Inset into the incised motifs is pale red cinnabar pigment. It is rare to find a wooden object from ancient Mexico! Size: 1" W x 6" H (2.5 cm x 15.2 cm)

Mixtec deities abound in the codices that preserve their religious beliefs, and they seem to have had a rich mythology featuring powerful male and female gods. Unfortunately, we lack the Mixtec names of these figures, making identification from images difficult. Given the association of drug use and religion in ancient Mesoamerica, it is not surprising to see a god on drug paraphernalia.

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-Butterfields (Bonhams)

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#123841

  • Condition: Light surface scratching, with small loss to upper end as shown.

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May 9, 2019 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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