Marajoara Terracotta Maskette from Urn, ex-Eugene Lions
**Originally Listed At $400**
Pre-Columbian, Brazil, Marajoara (also Marajo), ca. 800 to 1400 CE. A well-modeled terracotta maskette, most likely from a funerary urn, and depicting an abstract zoomorphic face, perhaps that of a transforming shaman. The visage is comprised of low to high relief features: eyes accentuated with spiral outlines, a broad nose, an open mouth with extended tongue, and pointed ears. The mesmerizing face is covered with a creamy white slip that contrasts beautifully with the revealed underlying orange terracotta. A unique and intriguing example of ancient Marajo pottery! Size: 4.375" W x 4.75" H (11.1 cm x 12.1 cm); 6.75" H (17.1 cm) on included custom stand.
The Marajoara - also known as the Marajo - flourished on Marajo Island, in the mouth of the Amazon River. They built impressive mounds and lived subsistence lifestyles while producing stylistically unique, beautiful pottery. This was a large-scale civilization, contrary to what many European researchers believed of the Amazon before their discovery. The mounds ranged from 3 to 10 meters in height, and some sites cover more than 10 square kilometers and contain 20 to 30 individual mounds. Their figural pottery most often depicted females, representing roughly 70-90% of all known ceramic sculptures from the Marajoara and their neighbors the Santarem. This has led researchers to suggest that chiefly descent came from a mythical female ancestor. During this period, both male and female figures are shown as shamans.
Provenance: ex-Eugene Lions, Geneve, Switzerland, acquired before 1970
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.
#113664
Condition Report: A large fragment that most likely came from a funerary urn. This said, the visage, although fragmentary and presenting chips, losses to high-pointed areas such as the ears, nose, and eyes, and expected surface wear, still makes for quite a statement.
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**Originally Listed At $400**
Pre-Columbian, Brazil, Marajoara (also Marajo), ca. 800 to 1400 CE. A well-modeled terracotta maskette, most likely from a funerary urn, and depicting an abstract zoomorphic face, perhaps that of a transforming shaman. The visage is comprised of low to high relief features: eyes accentuated with spiral outlines, a broad nose, an open mouth with extended tongue, and pointed ears. The mesmerizing face is covered with a creamy white slip that contrasts beautifully with the revealed underlying orange terracotta. A unique and intriguing example of ancient Marajo pottery! Size: 4.375" W x 4.75" H (11.1 cm x 12.1 cm); 6.75" H (17.1 cm) on included custom stand.
The Marajoara - also known as the Marajo - flourished on Marajo Island, in the mouth of the Amazon River. They built impressive mounds and lived subsistence lifestyles while producing stylistically unique, beautiful pottery. This was a large-scale civilization, contrary to what many European researchers believed of the Amazon before their discovery. The mounds ranged from 3 to 10 meters in height, and some sites cover more than 10 square kilometers and contain 20 to 30 individual mounds. Their figural pottery most often depicted females, representing roughly 70-90% of all known ceramic sculptures from the Marajoara and their neighbors the Santarem. This has led researchers to suggest that chiefly descent came from a mythical female ancestor. During this period, both male and female figures are shown as shamans.
Provenance: ex-Eugene Lions, Geneve, Switzerland, acquired before 1970
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.
#113664
Condition Report: A large fragment that most likely came from a funerary urn. This said, the visage, although fragmentary and presenting chips, losses to high-pointed areas such as the ears, nose, and eyes, and expected surface wear, still makes for quite a statement.
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