Pre-Columbian, Mexico, Jaina / Campeche, Maya, Late Classic Period, ca. 600 to 850 CE. A charming, mold-made pottery rattle in the form of a standing figure dressed in a long robe, a triangular breastplate, and a sizeable, flared headdress. Heavily adorned with bangles, annular earspools, and a collar necklace, the ancient figure presents a thick body and square shoulders with arms at the sides. Her stylized visage features slit-form eyes, a prominent nose, and a large, open mouth, all framed by straight, shoulder-length hair and a thick fringe. Intricate, relief decoration embellishes her robe and breastplate, displaying abstract and zigzag designs on her robe and a glyph on her breastplate. Enveloped in liberal remains of creamy white pigment, this wonderful example produces lovely rattling music when shaken! Size: 3.9" W x 7" H (9.9 cm x 17.8 cm)

Jaina figures, from an island off the Yucatan peninsula, are noted for their lifelike faces and their immense detail. The clothing that this figure wears almost certainly copies the real clothing of a person in the Late Classic Maya period. These figures were produced in Campeche and brought to Jaina Island to be buried with the dead.

Fascinatingly, the people around Jaina are the only people in southeastern Mesoamerica who put human figures into graves - everywhere else in the region, figures have only been found in domestic contexts. The use of human figures immediately calls to mind the earlier West Mexican cultures that had extensive figures made solely to be placed in their shaft tombs. The Spaniard Diego de Landa, who recorded details of Mayan life shortly after the Spanish Conquest, wrote that the artists who created pieces like this one lived lives of religious isolation and ritual, fasting and abstaining.

Provenance: private Lumberton, Texas, USA collection; ex-Heritage Auctions, December 5th, 2010, 2010 December New York Signature Pre-Columbian Art Auction 6056, part of lot 56111

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 & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.

Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.

#169378

Still functions as a rattle. Repaired from several pieces with restoration over break lines. Expected nicks and abrasions to areas. Otherwise, very nice with impressively preserved detail and great remaining pigments. Collection label and collection number inscribed on base.