Colima Burnished Terracotta Seated Shaman

Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. A hollow-cast and highly-burnished terracotta shaman figure sitting with his hands placed upon his bent knees, presenting broad shoulders and torso with delineated pectorals and navel, nude save the loin cloth covering his privates, and all covered in a rich red-orange slip. The stylized head faces forward with a solemn visage comprised of closed coffee bean eyes, a pronounced pointed nose, pursed lips, large ears that are pierced to suspend decorative ornaments, and sensitively contoured facial planes, all topped by a caplike headdress with a horn rising from the center. Depicting a shaman in a meditative trance-like state, this is a wonderful example from the ancient Colima! Size: 7" L x 7.75" W x 8.75" H (17.8 cm x 19.7 cm x 22.2 cm)

Colima, located on Mexico's southwestern coast, was during this time part of the shaft tomb culture, along with neighbors to the north in Jalisco and Nayarit. In this culture, the deceased were buried down shafts - ranging from 3 to 20 meters deep - that were dug vertically or near vertically through the volcanic tuff known as "tepetate" that makes up the geology of the region. The base of the shaft would open into one or more horizontal chambers with a low ceiling. These shafts were almost always dug beneath a dwelling, probably a family home, and seem to have been used as family mausoleums, housing the remains of many related individuals. Ornate vessels and finely modeled figures like this one were placed in the tombs in order to hold offerings and protect the soul of the deceased.

Provenance: ex-private Kalman collection, San Diego, California, USA, before 1985

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#150170
Condition Report: Minor chips to toes of one foot. Otherwise intact. Covered with nice burnishing marks and mineral deposits.