Pre-Columbian, Caribbean/Florida, Arawak People, Taino, ca. 15th century CE. A fascinating stone carving of a stylized figure known as a zemi, presenting an ovoid form. Highly abstract and minimalistic, the ancient figure displays attenuated arms bent at the elbows and hands placed together as his left hand holds a lengthy macana or weapon. His biceps extend upwards and form a type of hood or hunchback that frames his large head, which features bulging, annular eyes beneath an arched brow, a straight nose, and a petite mouth. His slender legs bend below him, positioned toe-to-toe reminiscent of a crouching frog. Size: 6.5" L x 2.8" W (16.5 cm x 7.1 cm)

According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, "Zemi (or cemi) is a term used by Taino peoples, the diverse societies that inhabited the Antilles archipelago before European contact, that linguistically relates to a quality akin to sweetness. Zemi refers not to an object or image but to an immaterial, spiritual, and vital force pertaining to deities and ancestors. There are several known zemi identities recorded by the Spanish, some of which have been linked to archaeological images."

Provenance: private J. S. collection, Sedona, Arizona, USA, acquired in the early 1980s; ex-private Haiti collection

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#165915

Light softening of detail and some minor abrasions as shown. Otherwise, intact and excellent.