Pre-Columbian, Colombia, Tairona region, ca. 1000 to 1550 CE. A low blackware bowl with a tall strap handle. Standing on four anthropomorphic legs, the vessel has, at the base of each end of the handle, a wonderful zoomorphic/anthropomorphic figure of a creature in a headdress, with arms raised to the head, and well-detailed fingers and wrinkles of the skin at the elbow that are very lizard-like. An upturned nose with a stippled design down it that matches that of the base of the headdress as well as large eyes and a wide mouth complete the figures. Size: 10.5" W x 8" H (26.7 cm x 20.3 cm)

Who are the figures depicted? Shamans? Lords? It is not clear if these cacique figures are meant to be real individuals or supernatural ancestors; many of them, like this one, have transformative animal elements. The Tairona lived in circular house platforms with areas of the houses divided for labor by gender. Ceramic manufacture seems to have been the realm of the women in the household, and small burnishing stones used for smoothing the surface of pottery prior to firing have been found in their areas. Effigy jars like this one were made specifically to be placed into tombs.

Provenance: Ex- Private Atlanta, GA collection

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#119902

Intact, with expected age wear and pitting to surface.