Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, Protoclassic Period, ca. 100 BCE to 250 CE. A charming dog-shaped figural vessel of an unusual form compared to typical Colima dogs. The highly-burnished pottery puppy stands atop four attenuated legs with a rotund torso, a thick neck, and an openwork tail spout. The conical head boasts perky ears, a long snout with incised nostrils, an incised mouth with bared teeth, and hollow eyes which lead inward towards the interior cavity. Scholars posit that canine effigies like this were used as offering vessels for the deceased and that the dog form protected the soul of the deceased before they entered the afterlife. Size: 10.375" L x 4.625" W x 6.25" H (26.4 cm x 11.7 cm x 15.9 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-private J.G. collection, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, acquired before 1975

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#139725

Small nicks to feet, spout, ears, snout, and body, with some fading to coloration and some finer details, and minor abrasions, otherwise intact and very good. Nice earthen deposits and manganese blooms throughout.