Pre-Columbian, Ecuador, Earliest Horizon, Valdivian, ca. 2300 to 2000 BCE. A skillfully-executed limestone carving of a wide-eyed owl visage with streaming tear marks on a quasi-ovoid plank. The sculptor carved the bird of prey's visage with bold and deeply carved straight lines on a pearly grey limestone with nice mineral deposits and burnishing marks. This aesthetic boasts attractive minimalism that appeals to our modern sensibilities and yet bespeaks of the ancient world. Custom stand. Size: 10.625" W x 8" H (27 cm x 20.3 cm); 9.125" H (23.2 cm) on stand

Ancient stone steles from Ecuador like this example are the oldest stone sculptures known to exist in the Americas, dating as far back as 3500 BCE. Certainly each stele is unique; however, they do share a few common characteristics. They are usually carved from a pearly grey colored stone and are for the most part "blockish" in form, though this example shows rounded contours. The four most prominent themes include the owl, the serpent/arrow, the sun chart, and the star chart.

The owl was widely symbolic in the Pre-Columbian world. Owls were 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. As a nocturnal bird of prey, the owl was also associated with night hunters, darkness, and the Underworld.



Provenance: Ex-Private AZ collection

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#118812

Losses to left side as shown. A few small nicks to peripheries, and expected surface wear with some scratches. 1.25" stable fissure on one tear mark; a 1" surface fissure on lower left cheek. Nice mineral deposits and burnishing marks.