Ecuador Bahia Ceramic Head Rest - Jaguar Face

Pre-Columbian, Ecuador, Bahia peoples, ca. 300 to 500 CE. A very rare find, a beautifully sculpted ceramic head rest featuring a low, flat base, a concave platform for resting the neck, and a thick support incised on both long sides with a highly stylized jaguar face, its fangs visible on the sides of the carving. Head or neck rests are incredibly rare in the ancient Americas - basically only known from Ecuador, where they have been found in early stratigraphy from the Bahia de Caraquez archaeological site, dating to Bahia I (ca. 300 CE). Size: 5.7" W x 3" H (14.5 cm x 7.6 cm)

Provenance: ex-private Hans Juergen Westermann collection, Germany, collected from the 1950s to the 1960s

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#108984 Dimensions: Condition Report: Intact, with light surface wear commensurate with age - small chips, nicks, and scratches. Nice deposits, especially in lower profile areas.