Pre-Columbian, South America, Ecuador, Valdivian, Earliest Horizon, ca. 2300 to 2000 BCE. A hand carved, light grey limestone palette of a curved, quasi-rectangular form with boldly cut lines delineating a perched owl, its visage skillfully rendered from one continuous incised curved line that remarkably delineates all the facial features - a pair of rounded square eyes, a straight nose, and a linear mouth. Beyond this, the minimalist approach of the sculptor delineates the neckline, torso, legs, and wings of this nocturnal creature in an abstract manner that ironically resonates with a modern aesthetic. Owls were widely symbolic in the Pre-Columbian world, considered Shamanic, guiding humans on their journeys to other worlds, the divine, and death. In some cultures an anthropomorphic owl represented a warrior or war god. Size: 1" L x 2.6" W x 5.3" H (2.5 cm x 6.6 cm x 13.5 cm)

Provenance: ex-collection of the late Peter Arnovick, San Francisco, California, USA, acquired before 1995

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#180111

Cleaned in modern times with light abrasions across most surfaces. Minor pitting and nicks commensurate with age, with light earthen deposits within some recessed areas, and some surface roughness, otherwise intact and excellent. Great preservation to abstract avian form.