Lot 312
Prehistoric Mississippian Caddoan Late Horizon Head Vessel, Type A
Prehistoric Mississippian Caddoan Late Horizon Head Vessel, Type A
Starting Bid: $12,000
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Native American, Mississippian, Caddoan Late Horizon., ca. 700 - 900 CE. A head vessel of red-on-buff terracotta, hand-built in the Type A form as classified by James F. Cherry in "The Headpots of Northeast Arkansas and Southern Pemiscot County, Missouri," this vessel belongs to one of the most remarkable and culturally charged ceramic traditions of the ancient American Southeast. The form presents a naturalistic human head rendered with striking anatomical specificity, the face modeled in high relief against a broad, flattened ovoid body from which a tall cylindrical neck rises to a flaring rim. The features are rendered with uncommon attention to individual character: the eyes wide and deeply set, the nose prominent, the mouth open and baring the teeth in a tense, arrested expression that hovers between portraiture and the supernatural. Engraved lines traverse the cheeks, chin, and forehead in patterns interpreted as tattoos, a form of body decoration widely practiced among Mississippian and Caddoan peoples as a marker of identity, status, and spiritual affiliation. The ears and nose retain pierced openings that would originally have received ornaments, likely of shell, bone, or copper, animating the face with the adornment befitting a person of rank or ritual significance. The hair is rendered in incised designs swept back from the face, contributing to the overall impression of a specific, individualized subject rather than a generic type. The overall surface carries a warm red slip over the buff fabric, the coloration muted and deepened by age. Size: 7.5" W x 9.5" H x 8.1" D (19.1 cm W x 24.1 cm H x 20.6 cm D)
The open mouth and arrested expression have led some scholars to interpret Type A head vessels as trophy heads within the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex, while others identify them as high-status ancestor portraits.
Publication: This piece has been tested using thermoluminescence (TL) analysis and has been found to be ancient and of the period stated. A full printed and bound report will accompany the item upon purchase.
Provenance: private Colorado, USA collection, acquired via Arte Primitivo, New York, New York, USA, auction 121, lot 363, 2025; ex-private Miami, Florida, USA collection acquired via Arte Primitivo, New York, New York, USA, auction 104, lot 253, 2021; ex-Minerva Gallery, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA; ex-private Florida, USA physician's collection, acquired 2003 from Diane McBride, daughter of Major Elmer McBride, acquired the collection in 1947
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Item #
202472
- Condition: Neck, spout, and proper right earring have been professionally restored; done expertly and very difficult to notice. Shallow chip on left corner of mouth. Surface wear with nicks and abrasions as shown. Otherwise, excellent presentation with impressive detail. TL holes to underside of base and behind left ear.
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| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $749 | $25 |
| $750 | $1,499 | $50 |
| $1,500 | $2,999 | $100 |
| $3,000 | $7,499 | $250 |
| $7,500 | $14,999 | $500 |
| $15,000 + | $1,000 |