Caribbean Pre Columbian Amulet, Tiano
From our northern Caribbean, either Southwest Puerto Rico or from the eastern Dominican Republic. From Arawakan culture, the Tiano Indians, the first of our hemisphere to encounter Columbus. This from the early to mid second phase, 1000-1250 AD, part of a fine large collection of pre-Columbian, Antillean and ancient Caribbean art. This example, a known but unusual form, represents the Zemi god's skull like head attached to an aquatic creature, likely the manatee. A scarce type, reasonably well carved of native marble, (most of the better carvings are of harder stone), this one, probably in excavation, was cleanly broken and reattached with nothing missing. 3.25" length