Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A very large and endearing redware Colima dog effigy vessel, quite plump and perky, standing on all fours and wagging his curved tail, looking forward attentively with finely incised, wide-opened eyes, alert pointy ears, an upturned snout with flaring nostrils, and a toothy grin. This wonderful Colima dog carries en enormous slightly flared bowl atop its back. Scholars know of at least two types of Colima dogs, one to be fattened up and ritually sacrificed 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 such as this one were buried in shaft tombs to protect the deceased and provide sustenance for eternity. A wonderful example covered in a rich red slip that has developed liberal manganese blooms over the years. Size: 13" W x 11" H (33 cm x 27.9 cm)

Provenance: Ex-NYC collection, Ex Bill Moore collection, Beverly Hills, CA, acquired in 1955.

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#117770

Three large pieces reattached to bowl and right ear restored.