Pre-Columbian, South America, Argentina, La Aguada / Aquada culture, ca. 1000 CE. A special smoking pipe, hand-carved from a single piece of mottled dark-gray stone with traces of red cinnabar and scattered deposits, bearing a stylized jaguar head just below the flared bowl. The tubular pipe body has a drilled cavity that traverses from the mouthpiece up through the head and into the pipe bowl, enabling the user to efficiently draw smoke from the pipe. The visage of the wild feline is fittingly fierce with leering ovoid eyes, raised cup-shaped ears, a pronounced snout, and an open mouth revealing intimidating teeth. The pipe's impressively smooth surface and nice traces of red cinnabar on the surface indicate how the lapidary artisan took pride in not only the function but also the presentation of this piece. Size: 8.125" L x 3.375" H (20.6 cm x 8.6 cm); 8.25" H (21 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-Arte Textil, Steve Berger, San Francisco, California, USA, 1982 to 1984

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#159593

Chips/nicks to rims of openings and high pointed areas. Expected surface wear commensurate with age. Scattered deposits. Traces of cinnabar. Old collection label on mouthpiece.