Pre-Columbian, Ecuador, Jamacoaque culture, ca. 500 BCE to 500 CE. A striking pottery figure of a seated lord or shaman elaborately dressed as he gazes forth from half-moon shaped eyes beneath a towering headdress. Draped in a sizeable poncho, the figure props up both legs and extends his arms forward as though gesturing to the viewer. Numerous applied elements embellish his body, such as large facial ornaments, lengthy earrings, a beaded necklace, and layered anklets, as medallions and flared adornments decorate the headdress. Liberal remains of black and red pigments form abstract designs along his poncho. An elaborate depiction of an important individual from ancient Jamacoaque culture! Size: 6" L x 6.5" W x 13" H (15.2 cm x 16.5 cm x 33 cm)

The Jama Coaque culture is best known for its ceramic figurines and vessels that, like this example, are typically more elaborately adorned and clothed than those of other coastal cultures of their day. Headdresses, jewelry, and styles of dress were all signifiers of rank and social status within many pre-Columbian societies. This figure represents one of the best-known aspects of the Jamacoaque (Jama Coaque) artistic legacy, a realistic pottery figure that was probably a portrait of an individual who members of their society would have recognized.

Provenance: ex-private Ohio, USA collection, acquired in the 1970s; ex-private Miami, Florida, USA collection, from the late 1980s

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#175817

Repaired from many pieces and restored. Loss to hand as shown, and leg reattached with visible break line. Headdress panels reattached, earrings reattached. Manganese deposits throughout and remains of painted pigments.