Pre-Columbian, Caribbean, Haiti, Taino, ca. 12th to 15th century CE. A pecked and polished greenstone zemi portrayed as a crouching figure. The rounded body is carved on one side with low relief limbs and an angular face. The slight bulge in the center of his stomach may represent a phallus. The hands are clasped under his pointed chin, and the face has perked ears that imbue this being with a zoomorphic presentation. The squatting posture is associated with the position that the dead were buried in Taino culture. Zemis were protective spirits that represented gods or ancestors. Size: 4.5" L x 3.5" W (11.4 cm x 8.9 cm)
Provenance: private J. S. collection, Sedona, Arizona, USA, acquired in Cap-Haitien, Haiti, in the 1980s
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#165907
Condition
Minor surface abrasions and some softening of details. Otherwise, intact and very good.