Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima, ca. 300 BCE to 300 CE. An attractive pottery snake vessel of sizable and venomous form bearing stone-burnished surfaces, a coiled body that resembles a beehive, and a diamond-shaped head resting on top; a slanted spout is located just behind the snake's head. In the Pre-Columbian world, snakes and lizards were metaphors for rain and blood, two life-giving fluids. At the same time, serpents were viewed as creatures that portend great danger. Their ability to shed their skin each year, and thus rejuvenate themselves, also made them a symbol of health and renewal. The triangular head shape is the telltale sign of a deadly pit viper species, such as a rattlesnake. Size: 7.1" L x 7" W x 6.6" H (18 cm x 17.8 cm x 16.8 cm)

Provenance: private Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA collection; ex-private Estate collection, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA, acquired 1960 to 2024

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.

#185568

Repair and restoration to area of spout, with resurfacing and overpainting along new material and break lines. Minor abrasions and fading to pigment, with fire-darkening in scattered areas, otherwise in great condition. Nice overall size and form. Previous inventory label beneath base.