Pre-Columbian, Costa Rica, Guanacaste, Huetar, ca. 300 to 800 CE. A hand-sculpted stone carving depicting an erotic act of bestiality between a jaguar and a shaman. The jaguar crouches over his mate, who is in the act of spiritual transformation as indicated by the anthropomorphic head and zoomorphic body. This figure probably depicts a shaman deriving power from connection to the animal world. Pre-Columbian Costa Ricans created carved volcanic stone sculptures whose subjects are often animals, usually those who are aggressive or dangerous, such as crocodiles, or jaguars like this one. By explicitly joining with the animal, this carving demonstrates the power of the shaman to communicate beyond the world of the human. Size: 2.5" L x 5" W x 4.3" H (6.4 cm x 12.7 cm x 10.9 cm)

Provenance: private Ferndale, Michigan, USA collection; ex-private Detroit, Michigan, USA collection, acquired prior to 2004

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#182522

Some minor chips, nicks, and abrasions as shown, but otherwise intact and very nice with good remaining detail.