Pre-Columbian, Ecuador, Jamacoaque culture, ca. 500 CE. A remarkable pottery shaman figure adorned in vibrant hues of marigold, emerald, and scarlet. Depicted crouching on an integral plinth, the ancient figure displays a thick body and muscular limbs, as his left arm rests at his side and his right holds out a spool-like object. He wears an elaborate headdress comprised of 5 lengthy feathers that sit horizontally atop his head and an abstract conical adornment that protrudes from the back of his head, cascading all the way down to his posterior. Heavily adorned with several thick necklaces, a pair of huge, intricate earrings, and a septum piercing, the magical male is dressed in an elaborate loin cloth with an intricately decorated front flap and a lengthy back flap that drapes to the ground, all suspended by a thick belt. His stylized, possibly masked, visage exhibits a pair of heavy-lidded, semicircular eyes, a bulbous nose, and an expressive grin. An incised gridded pattern embellishes both of his thighs, likely representing a type of ceremonial scarification. His loin cloth, earrings, and headdress all feature complex decoration of impressed motifs, as well as applied strips of clay. Size: 6.125" L x 2.625" W x 8.125" H (15.6 cm x 6.7 cm x 20.6 cm)

What a fascinating figure! Headdresses, jewelry, and styles of dress were all signifiers of rank and social status within many pre-Columbian societies. This gentleman was most certainly an important individual given his elaborately decorated state.

Shamanic transformation - brought on in part by the ingestion of coca leaves - was a popular theme in Jamacoaque pottery. The Jamacoaque potters turned away from earlier Ecuadorian pottery traditions (Valdivian, Chorrera) that focused upon representations of the body. In this new phase in ancient Ecuadorian society, status and different occupations for individuals suddenly became important to show artistically. Interestingly, this suggests that their culture began to stratify and become more complex, with individuals in the society taking on specialized roles such as shaman. This fantastic figure stands on its own as a work of art but also reminds us of these exciting historical developments.

This piece has been tested using thermoluminescence (TL) analysis and has been found to be ancient and of the period stated. A full report will accompany purchase.

Provenance: ex-Stein collection, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, USA, acquired September 30, 2008; ex-Arte Xibalba, Osprey, Florida, USA; ex-Peter Hacintos collection, New York, New York, USA

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#163966

TL holes to back of left foot and right hand. Proper right arm and right earring reattached with restoration over break lines. Restoration to back flap. Base restored from several pieces with restoration over break lines. Missing 1 applied clay dot on chin and proper left thumb. Expected nicks and abrasions with some chipping and fading of pigments, commensurate with age. Otherwise, excellent with impressively preserved details.