Description:

Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Nayarit, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A seated terracotta female figure from the shaft tomb tradition, shown cradling an infant over her right shoulder - likely a symbolic representation of fertility, maternity, and the continuity of life. This expressive red-slipped sculpture is boldly modeled with exaggerated limbs and stylized facial features, impressed eyes, a broad nose adorned with a septum piercing, and ear ornaments. Her elaborate coiffure is incised with vertical striations and rises into a high crest, pierced at the top with a vent hole connecting to the hollow interior. Manganese blooms across the surface attest to its long burial. Such figures were ritually interred in shaft tombs to accompany the dead, offering symbolic protection or ensuring rebirth in the afterlife. Size: 4" W x 8.3" H (10.2 cm x 21.1 cm)

Provenance: Collection of Y. Kayvan, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired from a Los Angeles, California, USA gallery acquisition dates range from the late 1990s to 2005

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#195483

  • Condition: The head is repaired from many pieces with a hole and loss to the left side. The adhesive used to stabilize the head surface is actively flaking off. The head is reattached to the neck. The rest of the body appears intact. Great manganese deposits throughout.

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July 10, 2025 8:00 AM MDT
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$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
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$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
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