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THBPre-Columbian Nayarit Ixtlan Del Rio Skeletonized figure
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About Auction
LiveNov 16, 2025
An auction of Pre-Columbian art, antiquities, and inspired pieces from the ancient cultures of the Americas. Minerva Gallery info@minerva-gallery.com
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- Lot Description
NAYARIT POLYCHROME SKELETONIZED FIGURE, IXTLÁN DEL RÍO STYLE
Western Mexico, Late Preclassic to Early Classic Period, circa 100 B.C.–250 A.D.
Height: 8 ⅜ in (21.3 cm)A rare and evocative hollow pottery figure of a skeletal male, executed in the classic Ixtlán del Río style of the Nayarit region. Modeled in a deeply expressive seated posture, the figure rests with knees drawn close to the chest, arms folded across the legs in a gesture of introspection and repose. The emaciated body is carefully delineated, the ribcage prominently rendered with raised ridges along the back, emphasizing both anatomical precision and the metaphysical symbolism of decay and regeneration.
The head is sensitively formed, with large circular eyes, an open mouth, and a high cranial crest bordered by a painted headband. Traces of red, cream, and white slip remain visible, underscoring the figure’s ritual significance and original vibrancy. Figures of this skeletal type are emblematic of the Nayarit’s conceptual approach to mortality, transformation, and creation. Scholars have suggested that such paired figures—typically depicted as male and female—represent the mythic primordial couple, sometimes interpreted as Bone Man and Bone Woman, the West Mexican analogues to the Aztec deities of creation who emerge from the underworld to reanimate life.
This figure’s striking presence captures the duality of life and death central to West Mexican cosmology: an image at once funerary and regenerative, bridging the boundary between the corporeal and spiritual realms.
Condition
Restored at neck; two breaks to arm and leg repaired; one arm lost in antiquity; loss to nose.
- Provenance
Private Collection, Providence, Rhode Island.
- Shipping Info
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We are currently not shipping to Germany, Switzerland or Australia. Unless of course the item is not ancient. We also do not ship to the countries of origin. If a piece for example is from Mexico, we cannot ship it to Mexico. Shipping will be done in house and sent out using USPS or Ups. We have been shipping items all over the world since 2008. Our team will carefully pack and coordinate worldwide delivery, ensuring your items arrive safely and smoothly.
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