**Originally Listed At $1800**

Pre-Columbian, North Coast Peru, Moche, ca. 100 to 500 CE. A very unique as well as musical tumi rattle, with an openwork body that contains percussive rattles and a most unusual depiction of a sacrificial priest atop, looking out with inlaid shell and turquoise eyes as he cuts the sacrificial victim's heart out with his tumi knife. Contributing further to the graphic nature of the scene, a basket presumably used to deposit the removed body parts hangs from the priest's arm. An incredibly rare depiction of a human sacrifice on a sacrificial tumi! Size: 1.5" W x 5.625" H (3.8 cm x 14.3 cm); 7.2" H (18.3 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-private Hans Juergen Westermann collection, Germany, collected from 1950 to 1960s

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most Antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.

#161529

Repairs to both arms of figural finial, with resurfacing and light overpainting along break lines. Nicks and abrasions to blade, handle, and figural components, with light encrustations, softening to some finer details, and very slight bending to blade profile. Great patina throughout. Interior rattle balls still emit a jingling sound when jostled.