Pre-Columbian, Mexico and Guatemala, Mayan Territories, Late Classic, ca. 550 to 900 CE. Hand-carved from a rough volcanic stone, this is a rather cuddly representation of the supposedly fierce animal, the jaguar. He sits in a remarkably human posture, perhaps emulating a shaman, with his front and back legs crossed, his paws resting on his shoulders and ankles. His face is deeply incised with lines that give him an aged appearance. The eyes are deeply drilled. The lower profile areas of the face are colored with a dusty red color, made from cinnabar. Jaguar imagery symbolized power and might throughout the Pre-Columbian world; hence, warriors, rulers, hunters, and shamans alike associated themselves with this king of beasts, the largest and most powerful feline in the New World. Size: 3.5" L x 3.55" W x 4.7" H (8.9 cm x 9 cm x 11.9 cm)

Provenance: private Tacoma, Washington, USA collection

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#131452

Weathered surface with small losses on edges. Nice original cinnabar pigment remaining.