Lot 151A
Tall Nayarit Pottery Seated Shaman Figure
Tall Nayarit Pottery Seated Shaman Figure
Starting Bid: $2,000
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Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Nayarit, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A marvelous and quite massive pottery figure shown seated with hands on thighs. Facing forward, his elongated head features a haunting visage of slit-form eyes, a pinched nose, and an open mouth, all beneath a protruding knob on his forehead, possibly intended as a shaman's horn. A collar necklace with a loop pendant falls on his clavicle just above sloped shoulder and slender, tubular arms adorned with layered bangles. Size: 6.1" L x 9" W x 18.3" H (15.5 cm x 22.9 cm x 46.5 cm)
Clay figures like this one are the only remains that we have today of a sophisticated and unique culture in West Mexico - they made no above-ground monuments or sculptures, at least that we know of, which is in strong contrast to developments elsewhere in ancient Mesoamerica. Instead, their tombs were their lasting works of art: skeletons arrayed radially with their feet positioned inward, and clay offerings, like this one, placed alongside the walls facing inward, near the skulls. A large effigy like this one would most likely have flanked the entrance to a tomb in a way that archaeologists have interpreted as guarding. Some scholars have connected these dynamic sculptures of the living as a strong contrast to the skeletal remains whose space they shared, as if they mediated between the living and the dead.
Provenance: private Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA collection; ex-private Fayetteville, Arkansas estate, USA, acquired 1960 to 2024
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#185726
- Condition: Professionally repaired with restoration and repainting over break lines; all expertly done and difficult to notice. Light surface wear as shown, but otherwise nice presentation with scattered manganese deposits.
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| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $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 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $20,000 |