Pre-Columbian, Gulf Coast Mexico, Veracruz, ca. 700 to 900 CE. An amusing, mold-formed pottery poison bottle in the form of a smiling frog, shown squatting with delineated male genitalia between his legs. The rotund body sports a large encircled central medallion and a leafy necklace, with arms raised towards a pair of flowing locks extending from its head. The stylized visage sports round eyes and arching eyebrows, a sloping nose, a wide smile, and a planar brow. Scattered areas across the body are accentuated with bright "Maya blue" and coral-red pigment, which nicely complement the creamy beige hue of the body. The verso is comprised of a bulbous vessel wall with a circular spout ringed in a red hue on top. Examples like this were meant to contain poisonous substances that were applied to arrows or knives just before use. A beautiful and rare example! Size: 4.25" W x 4.25" H (10.8 cm x 10.8 cm).

Traditionally, items like this one have been known as "poison" or "medicine" bottles, in part because of their comparison to bottles used by other native North American groups, but depictions of people using the flasks in artwork as well as residue analysis on archaeological examples suggest that they may have had other uses. They are often found in the context of burials, filled with red pigment like cinnabar or hematite, but with the remains of other things underneath the pigment (as if they were used in life and then filled with color in death).

What is the meaning of this fabulous vessel? Much of the religious practice of this culture and others in Mesoamerica involved shamans/priests entering an altered mental state, often through the use of strong alcohol or hallucinogenic drugs. Once in that trance-like state, they would become someone different. The highly-detailed amphibious form as well as the overall size of this example suggests that this was meant to hold copious quantities of liquids or other substances.

For a similar example of this overall form, please see the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, accession number M.90.168.26: https://collections.lacma.org/node/178263

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-Robert Huber collection, New York, USA

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#133792

Vessel repaired from multiple pieces with some restoration, overpainting, and resurfacing along break lines. Surface wear commensurate with age, small nicks to face, vessel rim, and base, fading to coloration, and some discoloration to body. Light earthen deposits throughout.