Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, Protoclassic period, ca. 100 BCE to 250 CE. A bewitching and sizeable hand-built pottery dog vessel with a brief spout atop its head. The highly burnished red-slip vessel is defined by a pair of nubbin front paws, a corpulent torso, a curved back with a raised spinal column, and a perky conical tail. Its stylized facial features include incised almond-form eyes, a bulbous snout, and a smiling mouth. Two ears rise out attentively from the side of the canine’s head. Its body has been decorated with two incised striations that run parallel to the spine. Size: 10.55" L x 4" W x 8.75" H (26.8 cm x 10.2 cm x 22.2 cm)

The Colima dog is one of the most enduring and famous symbols of Pre-Columbian art. These puppies come from the shaft tombs of West Mexico, where dogs were believed to assist the dead in their journey to the underworld. Although these dogs are often portrayed as fattened up for the table, they are also sculpted into a variety of playful positions, suggesting that dogs were also close human companions in Colima culture the way they are today for us. This close relationship is reflected in the cosmology of Pre-Columbian Mexican peoples, where one story tells that the first man survived a great flood because of his friend, a dog, who helped him find both fire and corn to eat.

Provenance: private Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, USA collection, acquired before 2001; ex-private North Oaks collection, Minnesota, USA

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.

#164713

Minor chipping and light abrasions scattered throughout. Light fading to slip pigmentation in areas. Nice earthen deposits scattered throughout. Otherwise, excellent condition.