Originally offered at $1,500...

Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, Protoclassic Period, ca. 100 BCE to 250 CE. A fascinating redware vessel depicting a hunchbacked figure with an ovoid spout leading into the hollow body. The highly burnished man exhibits a severe case of spine malformation, made evident by his dramatic forward-leaning posture and his which emphasizes the protruding hump on the center of his back. The arms are bent forward resting on his knees, and his head juts outward staring as if in a trance. The intense face is comprised of incised and low relief eyes, a triangular nose, slightly-parted lips, and pierced ears. In Pre-Columbian times, spine deformities and dwarfism were believed to be signs from the divine that they were in fact special, chosen individuals who were touched by the supernatural. Size: 7.5" L x 6.5" W x 11" H (19 cm x 16.5 cm x 27.9 cm)

Hunchback and dwarf individuals were apparently beloved by the Colima - indeed, they heavily outnumber portrayals of women (and some have theorized that this relates to their relatively high social status in the society). Some scholars attribute the hunched back in West Mexican shaft tomb culture to a particular form of tuberculosis.

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection, before 2010; ex-Arte Primitivo, New York, New York, USA

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#173838

Professionally repaired and restored. Repairs are excellent and nearly indiscernible. Surface wear and abrasions and minor chips to rim. Nice manganese deposits.