Pre-Columbian, Ecuador, Bahia culture, ca. 300 to 500 CE. A remarkable pottery shaman figure of considerable scale, shown seated with crossed legs and adorned with an elaborate headdress and vibrant remains of red and orange pigments. A shaman's horn dangles from a necklace draped on his broad shoulders as his gigantic head gazes forward from heavy lidded eyes above a curved nose and open mouth. Numerous piercings adorn his face and ears, while long ribbons flow down from his headdress. The Bahia continued in the long Ecuadorian tradition of ceramic effigy making and may have been used in rituals or as offerings; one archaeological site, on La Plata Island, has yielded thousands of broken effigy figures similar to this one. Size: 12" W x 19" H (30.5 cm x 48.3 cm)

Provenance: private Pasadena, California, USA collection; ex-private estate collection, Los Angeles, California, USA, formed between 1970 and 2000

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#180952

Professionally repaired with restoration over some break lines and others slightly visible. Loss to proper right foot. Nicks and abrasions to surface as shown, all commensurate with age, but otherwise excellent presentation with liberal remaining pigments and light earthen deposits throughout.