Pre-Columbian, Mexico, Oaxaca, Zapotec culture, Monte Alban, ca. 100 BCE to 200 CE. An impressive hand-built pottery incensario depicting the bust of Cocijo (also Cociyo, literally translated as "lightning" in the Zapotec language), the Zapotec god of rain, thunder, and lightning, embellished with red and black glaze. Heavily adorned, the ancient figure wears an elaborate chestpiece comprised of two rectangular shoulder flaps and a central banner, all bearing a glyph known as the hairpin glyph, which is associated with water and translates to moist. An intricate collar necklace of six feathers hangs from the deity's neck, and a sizable headdress bearing the glyph "C" meaning rain, the symbol of Cocijo, sits atop his head. On his face he wears the distinctive 'buccal' nose/face mask, with a wide, blunt snout and a serpent-like, split tongue protruding from his mouth. A pair of large earrings flanks his stylized visage, and each displays what appears to be an upside-down hairpin glyph. An additional glyph, which likely represents water, sits on his left shoulder. Size: 3.5" W x 5.5" H (8.9 cm x 14 cm)

Many cultures at this time were producing ceremonial incensarios (censers), but Monte Alban's in particular are often so anthropomorphized, that from the front they can be difficult to distinguish from sculpture. Scholars posit that such figural censers were created to honor deceased elite members of society.

Provenance: private Burlington, North Carolina, USA collection; ex-A to Z Auctions, Burlington, North Carolina, USA; ex-James Pratley estate, Galveston, Texas, USA, acquired before 2000

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#163542

Chip to rim. Loss to proper right shoulder flap. Repair and restoration to proper left side of headdress. Expected nicks and abrasions commensurate with age. Otherwise, excellent with lovely earthen deposits and remaining pigments.