Pre-Columbian, Peru, Chavin, ca. 900 to 200 BCE. A carved fossilized bone figure of a jaguar, crouched, with its paws and ears string cut and well-defined. Teeth are incised around its bulbous snout. Two 18 karat gold discs project from the head, each with a tiny, round turquoise inlay, so that the creature has gleaming blue eyes. Remains of black paint are on the surface, especially on the large tail. Although jaguars were revered for their fierce behavior, this example looks more charming than mean. Size: 2.35" L x 1.45" W x 3" H (6 cm x 3.7 cm x 7.6 cm); 5.5" H (14 cm) on included custom stand.

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.

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-Westermann collection, Germany

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#131946

Light surface wear and corrosion, with small chips and scratches commensurate with age. Some areas of pigment remaining. Both eyes are intact.