Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A hand-built and highly burnished redware pottery dog in a rare seated pose with paws placed in front and a thick tail curling behind. The charming canine raises its head to present ovoid eyes, a powerful snout, and bared teeth in a relatable grin. Another rare aspect of this pooch is the vent hole inside of one ear; these are usually incorporated into the tail or the back of the head. Size: 6.25" L x 6.75" W x 10.125" H (15.9 cm x 17.1 cm x 25.7 cm)

Pottery canines like this one are the only remains that we have today of a sophisticated and unique culture in West Mexico - they made no above-ground monuments or sculptures, at least that we know of, which is in strong contrast to developments elsewhere in ancient Mesoamerica. Instead, their tombs were their lasting works of art: skeletons arrayed radially with their feet positioned inward, and clay offerings, like this example, placed alongside the walls facing inward, near the skulls. A large effigy like this one most likely would have flanked the entrance to a tomb in a way that archaeologists have interpreted as guarding. Some scholars have interpreted these dynamic sculptures of the living as a strong contrast to the skeletal remains whose space they shared, as if they mediated between the living and the dead.

Scholars know of at least two types of Colima dogs, one to be fattened up and ritually sacrificed or eaten and one to serve as a watchdog and healer of the ill. This plump hairless canine known as a Chichi or Escuintla is thought to be related to the Chihuahua or Mexican Hairless also known as the Xoloitzcuintle. The Xolo dog was named for the deity Xolotl, the God of the Underworld, and believed to guide the deceased as they journeyed to the afterlife. Colima vessels like this example were buried in shaft tombs to protect the deceased and provide sustenance for eternity.

Provenance: private Charlotte, North Carolina, USA collection, purchased June 2, 2004; ex-Walt Knox Artifacts, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA

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#176669

Professionally repaired with restoration, and with resurfacing and overpainting along break lines. Losses to areas of hind feet as shown. Abrasions, nicks, and fading to original pigment, with light earthen deposits, and softening to some incised features. Nice preservation to overall presentation after repairs.