Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A delightful sculptural vessel in traditional dog form but with 2 heads and 2 tails, their faces caught in a playful expression as they share some kind of flat piece of food or toy. The dog heads have long snouts and round ears, with bulging coffee-bean-shaped eyes. The vessel stands on four, paw-like feet. A wide spout, raised on one side, rises from between their lower backs. Earthy dark red pigment, with some dark orange details, gives this piece a richly colorful appearance. Size: 7.4" L x 5.05" W x 4.95" H (18.8 cm x 12.8 cm x 12.6 cm)

Scholars know of at least two types of Colima dogs, one to be fattened up and ritually sacrificed or eaten and one to serve as a watchdog and healer of the ill. This plump hairless canine known as a Chichi or Escuintla is thought to be related to the Chihuahua or Mexican Hairless also known as the Xoloitzcuintle. The Xolo dog was named for the deity Xolotl, the God of the Underworld, and believed to guide the deceased as they journeyed to the afterlife. Colima vessels such as this one were buried in shaft tombs to protect the deceased and provide sustenance for eternity.

Provenance: ex Bruce Rogers' collection, San Francisco, California, USA, acquired in the 1960s

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#130825

Intact. Light manganese deposits on surface. Very light encrustation in lower profile areas.