Pre-Columbian, Ecuador, Earliest Horizon, Valdivian, ca. 2300 to 2000 BCE. A Valdivian stone owl effigy with a stylized visage delineated on the upper section and a perched body with abstract wings upon the lower section. Boldly carved with angular and straight lines from a pale grey limestone, the surface gracefully shows its age with nice mineral deposits. Custom stand. Size: 3.375" W x 8.625" H (8.6 cm x 21.9 cm); 9" H (22.9 cm) on stand

There is so much to appreciate about this piece, its abstract aesthetic remarkably in tune with our modern sensibilities despite the fact that it is about 4,000 years old. In addition, 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: Whisnant Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; acquired over twenty years ago

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#123040

Head reattached to body. Loss to upper right corner of head